Soulmates
by Cassie Metallium
Summary: COMPLETE! Y/Y, R/B. Yami & Yugi love each other, but don't think the other feels the same. Their friends try to get them together, but it goes totally wrong, leading to misunderstandings between not just them, but Ryou & Bakura as well. Can DM cards help?
1. Resident Evil

Author's Notes: Anou.I created this story after watching Resident Evil. *shudders* Dunno WHAT I was thinking. Anyway, this is a Yami x Yugi pairing story, which will later turn into a Ryou Bakura x Yami Bakura. In this story, Bakura will be called Ryou and Yami Bakura will be just Bakura. For us Americans, Joey is Jounouchi, Tea is Anzu, and Tristan is Honda. I made this an R just to be safe. It MIGHT be NC-17 later on if I get enough reviews of people wanting it.  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter One: Resident Evil  
  
Yami sighed as he watched the stars up in the night sky, the wind blowing through his mane of gold-purple-and-black hair. He was sitting on the sill of the window in their bedroom. Once Yugi's Grandpa had discovered that Yugi had a darker side, one brought out by the Millennium Puzzle in the form of Yami, Grandpa had moved things around in their room, replacing Yugi's former bed with a bunk bed. Yami slept above Yugi. That way he could jump down onto anyone who might try to hurt his aibou, and then beat the hell out of them with an advantage in surprise.  
  
Yami sighed again. Yugi. That was one he never understood. Yugi was supposed to be his aibou, his hikari, his other half.  
  
His soulmate.  
  
Yet Yami still had absolutely no clue how Yugi could seem so blind to the horrors of the world around them, and stay cheerful and bouncy all the time. Yugi was eccentric, dangerously naïve, always so happy that he practically radiated cheeriness, and incredibly stupid when it came to protecting his friends. That time Yugi had leaped at the guy who had threatened Anzu in the abandoned warehouse, Yami had nearly panicked while trying to get out of his puzzle. Since he had been confined for centuries, making a form of his own was too hard, so he merely took control of Yugi's body, and destroyed the thug's evil half. Yami silently vowed, looking up at the stars, that his aibou would never be hurt as long as Yami stayed breathing.  
  
"Yami-kun?"  
  
The soft voice behind him, so startlingly close, made Yami jump slightly. Yami turned and looked straight into his aibou's large amethyst eyes. They looked so innocent, so shielded from the horrible world around them.  
  
"Daijobu ka?" Yugi questioned of his darker side, blinking worriedly. Yami gave a rare, soft smile that he would only ever show to Yugi. (*coughcoughHeeroYuycoughcough*)  
  
"I'm fine, aibou," Yami replied. Yugi smiled suddenly.  
  
"Good, because Anzu and the guys are inviting us to come to see a movie!" Yugi stated cheerfully, a bright smile plastered onto his round face. Yami chuckled.  
  
"What kind is it?"  
  
Yugi grinned. "I've heard that it's scary. It's called Resident Evil."  
  
Yami bolted upright, his back stiff. "You're not going!"  
  
"Why not?!" Yugi demanded, straightening his own back in a means of retaliation to look as tall as Yami. He didn't succeed. Yami gave him a look.  
  
"Haven't you read up on that movie?"  
  
Yugi blinked. "Umm."  
  
Yami sighed, grabbed his aibou's shoulder, and squeezed it gently. "Trust me, you don't want to see it. You would have nightmares for the rest of your life."  
  
A look of confusion crossed Yugi's face. "But, Yami-kun, you always comfort me when I wake up with nightmares, and they go away."  
  
Yami shook his head at his aibou's naiveté. "These nightmares I wouldn't be able to send away."  
  
Yugi looked even more confused. "Demo."  
  
"Iie demo!" Yami replied sharply, making Yugi jump slightly. Yami's eyes softened. "Aibou, I don't want you hurt." ('Iie demo!' basically means 'No buts!')  
  
"Then come with me and block my eyes at the bad parts!" Yugi replied, exasperated. Yami raised an eyebrow. Now that was a thought.  
  
"How did you get me to do this?" Yami moaned, sighing as they got out of Anzu's father's van. (If this needs to be corrected, please contact me)  
  
Yugi shrugged, beaming at his darker half. "I dunno."  
  
As soon as Yugi engaged Jounouchi and Ryou in conversation, Yami stopped Anzu and Honda, and gave them an infuriated glare. They glanced at each other, confused and nervous.  
  
"If aibou gets nightmares from this stupid movie, I'm coming after you two."  
  
Anzu and Honda looked at each other, guilty looks on their faces.  
  
"Yami, you know Yugi's gonna have a day sometime in the future where you won't be there to shield him from the world. We need to prepare him," Honda said quietly. Yami nearly punched him, but instead settled for grabbing his shirt collar and lifting him from the floor.  
  
"By showing him a movie about ZOMBIES and BLOOD-SUCKING?!" Yami demanded, hushing his voice slightly so Yugi, Jounouchi, and Ryou couldn't hear. Anzu and Honda looked really guilty now. Passerby gave weird looks in their direction.  
  
"Yami-kun!!" Yugi's voice called. Out of the corner of his eye, Yami could see that Yugi was starting to turn around to look for him, and so he let Honda go, glaring at him.  
  
"You better hope I'm quick enough to cover aibou's eyes," Yami warned menacingly.  
  
"Hey, Yami, Anzu, Honda, you guys comin'?!" Jounouchi shouted. Yami smirked, turning.  
  
"Hai!" he called back, walking towards the two boys. Anzu gave Honda a look.  
  
"Told ya it was bad idea," she stated flatly. Honda frowned at her, and followed Yami and Anzu towards their friends.  
  
Yami was infuriated!! It wasn't even five minutes into the movie, and he had to cover his aibou's eyes!! Yami sat there, seething, as he saw a woman's head get cut off as she was trapped between two elevator doors, while the elevator chose of its own accord to head straight up. Yami cast a glare in Anzu and Honda's direction, and they shrunk down into their seats, avoiding his eyes.  
  
"Yami-kun??? Can you let go now?" Yugi's innocent voice questioned patiently. Yami glanced at the screen, an eyebrow raised. Nothing bad happening. Yami let his aibou watch again. Awhile later, Yami had to cover Yugi's eyes again when a group of good guys were decapitated by laser beams.  
  
Nothing happening that was gruesome for his little hikari's eyes for a whole twenty-five minutes after that, and Yami started to relax. Only some suspenseful moments so far. Maybe this was a good idea after all.  
  
No sooner had he thought this than a zombie woman approached one of the good guys (girl, actually). Yugi, of course, didn't realize what the zombie-woman was.  
  
"Yami-kun, weren't all of the employees dead?" Yugi inquired, turning to look at his dark side. Yami nodded, and his eyes bugged out as the zombie-woman lunged at the good guy, attempting to bite her neck. Yugi heard the sudden sound level rise, and started to turn and look. Yami hastily covered Yugi's eyes. Yugi groaned.  
  
"Aibou, it's not that bad, is it?"  
  
Yami raised an eyebrow. The woman that was still living fired a gunshot into the woman's heart. (Correct me if I'm wrong, I've pretty much forgotten the movie- and for good reason)  
  
Yugi made an exasperated noise, and ducked away from Yami's hand. Yami breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the scene had changed to the good guys running up to the live woman and asking if she was alright. When the scene shifted to the place where the zombie-woman had been shot, Yami started to panic, but stopped when he saw that the woman was gone. Yami smirked. This was getting interesting now. Even the plays back in Egypt hadn't been this good.  
  
A few seconds later, the exact same zombie woman lunged out of the shadows, and the good girl fired madly with her gun. Yami grabbed his aibou's head, and turned it away. Yugi frowned. He was missing a lot of the storyline so far.  
  
"Yami-kun." he began.  
  
"Remember, this is the only reason I let you come," Yami reminded him, growling slightly as another zombie popped out of the shadows and attacked. A few minutes later, Yami's eyes were wide. By the hand of Ra!!!! There must be five hundred zombies in that room with them!!, he thought. There was no way he could let his aibou watch this. But Yugi grew impatient moments later, and ducked out of Yami's hold, trying to get a glimpse of the screen. Yami grabbed Yugi's shoulders, and turned him forcefully away.  
  
"Remember our deal," Yami snarled. Yugi made an exasperated sound.  
  
"Yami-kun, I'm missing so much of the storyline!!" Yugi whispered pleadingly. Yami frowned.  
  
"Good. There's a lot of the storyline you DON'T need to see. You're too young," Yami replied in a hushed voice so as not to irritate those around them.  
  
"I'm 16!" Yugi cried. Yami glared at him. Then he saw something he never thought he'd see in his aibou's eyes.  
  
Retaliation.  
  
Before Yugi could wrench away from Yami's grasp, Yami did the first thing that came to mind that would hold Yugi still.  
  
He kissed him.  
  
Yugi's eyes went wide, his mouth opening slightly. Wha.?, he wondered. Ryou and Anzu watched interestedly, pretending they both weren't eavesdropping. (HA!)  
  
Yami drew back, his whole body tingling. He never thought kissing his aibou would make him feel so.alive. Yugi blinked.  
  
"Y-Yami.?"  
  
Yami scowled. He couldn't let his aibou know. It would tear his aibou apart, knowing that he was causing Yami's heart to break everytime he thought Yugi didn't love him back, so Yami couldn't let Yugi know. "Well, it was the only way to keep you from looking at the screen," he growled. Yugi looked at the floor, vaguely feeling tears spring up in the back of his eyes.  
  
Of course. Yami didn't feel the same. They were merely two sides of a whole- each other, one could say. Yugi was the light, and Yami was the dark. How could the darkness love the light? Yami merely kissed his aibou to keep him from watching the stupid movie.  
  
Suddenly, Yugi didn't really care about the movie.  
  
"Well, you don't have to worry about me looking at the screen," Yugi declared suddenly, and Yami looked at him. Yugi's eyes were covered in shadow, so Yami couldn't see the lone tear that crawled down the boy's cheek. "I've gotta go the bathroom."  
  
"Take your time," Yami scowled as he saw more zombie attacks on the screen. "It'll be a while before it's safe to have you watch."  
  
Yugi hurried past his friends' seats, and hurried out of the theater. Anzu blinked, and leaned over to whisper in Jounouchi's ear over Ryou.  
  
"Jounouchi-kun, Yugi-kun was crying," Anzu whispered. Jounouchi looked at her.  
  
"From what?"  
  
Anzu made an irritated noise. "Hel-lo? Didn't you see Yami kiss Yugi to keep him from looking at the screen?"  
  
Jounouchi blinked twice. "Yami kissed Yugi???"  
  
Anzu felt like punching him.  
  
"Keep your voice down!" Ryou hissed as he restrained the girl.  
  
"Hai, Yami kissed Yugi. And you KNOW how Yugi feels about him. The thought of Yami kissing him ONLY to keep him from looking at a movie isn't the best thing to cheer you up, you know?" Anzu explained.  
  
Jounouchi nodded, and stood, following Yugi's intention of heading to the bathroom. Anzu leaned over to talk to Yami.  
  
"So, do you like it so far?"  
  
Yami scowled. "Not anymore."  
  
Anzu blinked. "Why?"  
  
"Urusei," he muttered, looking away. ('Urusei' = 'Shut up') He wasn't one to confess his feelings. Anzu frowned, and continued to watch the movie, wondering if Yami felt the same about Yugi.  
  
Jounouchi entered the men's room, and as soon as he had taken three steps in, he heard his best friend's sobbing. Jounouchi's eyes softened, and he followed the sound made by the small boy with tri-colored hair until he came to the stall Yugi was in.  
  
"Yugi-kun??" Jounouchi inquired gently. There was a muffled gasp, and Jounouchi heard Yugi hastily wiping his eyes with his sleeves. The stall door opened, and Yugi came out, a bright smile plastered on his face.  
  
"Hai?? Something wrong?"  
  
Jounouchi was silent. Yugi peered at him curiously.  
  
"You don't have to lie, Yug," Jounouchi stated softly. Yugi's face didn't change for a moment, but then, gradually, the mask fell away until Jounouchi felt Yugi collapse into his arms, trembling and crying once again.  
  
"Daijobu." Jounouchi whispered, feeling quite ready to pound Yami's face in when he next saw his best friend's other half.  
  
"He doesn't love me." Yugi whispered, shaking. Jounouchi frowned, and lifted Yugi so that the two of them were eye-to-eye.  
  
"Then you're going to just make do without him. Find yourself someone else. If Yami does love you, and is merely trying to hide it, for God knows what reason, then he's sure to get really jealous if you start liking someone else, right?"  
  
Yugi blinked, and his eyes went wide with horror. "But I couldn't hurt him like that!"  
  
Jounouchi made an irritated noise in his throat. "BUT you're only going to be pretending you like someone else so you can see if Yami gets jealous, and then you'll know if Yami really loves you or not. See where I'm heading with this?"  
  
Yugi blinked a couple times, and then he smiled and nodded. Jounouchi grinned at him.  
  
"You WERE watching the movie the whole time, weren't you?"  
  
Yugi blushed.  
  
"Thought so," Jounouchi chuckled. "You might wanna let Yami know that."  
  
Yugi made a considering noise. "Yeah." he murmured after a moment. "I guess so."  
  
"I have to admit, though," Jounouchi continued. "You're pretty brave to not be freaked out by that laser decapitation thing. That gave me goose bumps."  
  
Yugi laughed. "Yeah, me too. It's a horrible thought. But, at least we know it's only a movie." (huh.looked pretty real to me.*shivers*)  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Now then, what say we go back to the movie and enjoy ourselves?"  
  
Yugi nodded happily.  
  
Yami frowned. His aibou was taking too long. Then again, Yami thought as a zombie-dog pack attacked the main character, he might not wanna see this.  
  
Yami glanced in the direction of where Yugi and Jounouchi had both left for the bathroom, and nearly had a heart attack when he saw that Yugi and Jounouchi were leaning against the wall, looking at the screen with the look of one who is captivated in a spell. Yami started to stand and rush to protect his aibou, but Anzu put a hand on his arm.  
  
"Yugi's not as innocent as you might think." she said softly. "This kind of thing doesn't scare him."  
  
Yami blinked, and watched his aibou with growing interest. When the main character shot a couple of zombie-dogs dead, and then kicked their asses till more were dead, Yugi and Jounouchi broke out into a grin and started joking with each other about who could kick ass better: Yugi/Yami in a Duel Monsters game, or the main character of Resident Evil. Yami actually started laughing at their argument, which he could hear through his mind-link with Yugi.  
  
Yugi, Jounouchi, Anzu, Ryou, and Honda all turned their heads as one and stared at him in shock, each hearing him laugh. Yami paused and flushed with embarrassment. No one had ever heard him laugh so carefree before- not even himself. (Whooboy, he needs to get out more often, ne?)  
  
Yami looked away, back at the screen, his face a slight pink color. (Ooooo, Yami's blushing, Yami's blushing, Yami's blushing.)  
  
Yugi and Jounouchi made their way back over to their seats, Yugi close to the wall, beside Yami, Anzu next to Yami, Ryou next to Anzu, and Jounouchi and Honda in a dual seat next to Ryou.  
  
"Yami-kun.were you laughing??" Yugi questioned. Yami didn't answer, but the pink tinge in his face grew redder. Yugi cleared his throat.  
  
"So.ah.you see I'm.not scared.right?"  
  
Yami nodded stiffly. Yugi didn't know what to say after that, so he merely went back to watching the movie. Halfway through the movie, Yami found his voice again.  
  
"How come you didn't tell me?"  
  
Yugi shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I kinda felt.well.that you already knew."  
  
Yami made an irritated-sounding noise in his throat. "I don't pry into your thoughts, aibou, unless I'm invited."  
  
Yugi blushed. "Gomen nasai."  
  
Yami chuckled, and smiled his rare smile, drawing Yugi closer in a hug. "Onaiji, (Likewise) for getting mad at you."  
  
Yugi smiled against his darker side's chest. "Daijobu." (SAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  
  
"But, still," Yami gently pushed on Yugi's nose, "If ever you need me, just ask."  
  
"Arigatou."  
  
Yami and Yugi watched the rest of the movie in comfortable silence, side by side, never knowing that the other was feeling the same thing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: Don't worry, don't worry, it has a sequel!!! ;P In fact, many. *audience shivers in horror* *looks around with Death Glare, and everyone instantly applauds and cheers* :)  
  
Disclaimers: *clears her throat expectantly*  
  
Yami and Yugi: *moans* Do I HAVE to?  
  
Author: Of course. It's not in my job as a fanfiction writer to say the evil disclaimer. That's in the characters whom I have on contract to say. *holds up a contract, uses a magnifying glass, and reads from the minuscule text at the bottom of the page, barely noticeable.* "We, Yugi Mouto, and Yami, hereby declare that the Dragonlady has every right to do whatever she wants with us in her fanfictions until our contract has expired."  
  
Yami: *eyes bulge* LEMME SEE THAT!  
  
Author: *hands him the contract and the magnifying glass*  
  
Yugi: *reads over his darker half's shoulder* Waitaminute! How come we never saw this???  
  
Yami: *scowls* Because we never read the fine print, aibou.  
  
Author: *clears her throat again*  
  
Yami: *in a sulky voice* Dragon Mistress does not own Yu-Gi-Oh, its characters, or its many exciting episodes. If anyone sues her, my aibou and I will sick the Dark Magician or the Exodia on them. You have been forewarned.  
  
Author: ^^ *peace sign*  
  
Yami: *mutters* When that damn contract expires, she better watch out.  
  
Author: Excuuuuuuuse me?  
  
Yami: *whistles innocently*  
  
Author: *brings out Filia's almighty mace-sama* Care to repeat that?  
  
Yami: *screams, and runs away, disappearing over the horizon's edge*  
  
Author: *shrieks in Filia-style* You come back here!! *speeds away after the retreating Pharaoh, leaving a trail of smoke*  
  
Yugi: O_O;;;;;;;;;;;; 


	2. The Kidnapping

Author's Notes: *grumbles about stupid FF.Net's freaky formatting* I reposted this chapter cause it was royally screwed and you couldn't tell when someone was speaking to his yami/hikari or when it was the actual story.  
  
Whenever it's //"Blah"//, it's Bakura talking to Ryou through their link, but also aloud. Same for Ryou, only with one /.  
  
Anou.I created this chapter after I finally got interested in Ryou x Bakura pairings. Anyway, this is a Yami x Yugi pairing story, which is now becoming a Ryou Bakura x Yami Bakura. In this story, Bakura will be called Ryou and Yami Bakura will be just Bakura. For us Americans, Joey is Jounouchi, Tea is Anzu, and Tristan is Honda. I made this an R just to be safe. It MIGHT be NC-17 later on if I get enough reviews of people wanting it.  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Two: The Kidnapping  
  
"You're going to have Yugi do WHAT?!?!?!" Anzu shrieked.  
  
"Now, now, Anzu-chan, it's alright.calm down." Ryou tried unsuccessfully to get the girl to calm down. Jounouchi and Honda looked frightened.  
  
"Let me review what I think you're trying to do here," Anzu said in a deadly calm voice, her eyebrow twitching madly. "You're going to have Yugi pretend he is in love with me in order to see if Yami loves Yugi as much as Yugi does him, and you want me to go along with this and pretend I love Yugi back?!"  
  
Jounouchi and Honda looked over at each other, pale-faced, then looked back at her, and nodded. She scowled.  
  
"You know this is gonna hurt Yami's feelings."  
  
"He's already hurt Yugi's feelings," Jounouchi protested. Anzu sent him a glare.  
  
"I still think it's a bad idea, but I'll go along with it." she mumbled. Jounouchi and Honda gave each other a high-five. Ryou smiled slightly, but inside he had a terrible, foreboding feeling.  
  
======  
  
"You're WHAT?!" Yami shouted in shock. Yugi blushed.  
  
"Me and Anzu-chan are going out." he repeated sheepishly. Yami felt his heart clench painfully, and he smiled, though it looked strained.  
  
"I'm glad you're happy, aibou.congratulations to both of you," he replied, feeling tears form in the backs of his eyes. He glanced quickly away from his hikari, wanting to look at anything but the one he loved.who didn't love him back.  
  
"Well, I've got to go run an errand for Jiichan, okay? Ja ne, aibou," Yami said hurriedly, moving out of their room and fleeing down the stairs. He kept the tears inside until he had reached the door, and flung it open. He paused for a mere second at the sight of Anzu, Jounouchi, Honda, and Ryou all at the door, muttered an 'excuse me', and then fled down the road. Unknowing to Yami as the tears leaked out of his eyes, they all looked at one another.  
  
"Darn.it didn't seem to work." Anzu muttered, disappointed.  
  
"Never thought I'd see you sad because you didn't hurt someone's feelings, Anzu-chan!" Jounouchi teased. Anzu glared at him, and then went inside Yugi's house. Everyone followed, except for one white-haired boy.  
  
Ryou watched the retreating form of the former Pharaoh sadly, looked once into Yugi's house, and then looked back down the road Yami had fled to. He made up his mind, and followed the King of Games at a run.  
  
Yami collapsed at the park, sobbing into the seat of the bench he leaned upon. Of course his hikari didn't love him. It was impossible for light to love darkness.  
  
"Yami-kun?" a soft voice with a familiar British accent inquired. Yami stiffened just as he had done two nights ago when Yugi had appeared behind him, and he wiped his eyes hastily, turning.  
  
"Oh, hi, Ryou. I felt tired, so I decided to rest here," Yami said cheerfully, heaving himself up onto the bench. Ryou smiled softly, understanding as always.  
  
"Hai.sometimes those feelings of tiredness happen so unexpectedly, ne?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Ryou watched in silence as pieces of Yami's mask fell apart, until Yami put his head in his hands and just cried. Ryou sat down next to the Pharaoh, enveloping him in a comforting hug. After a few moments, the sobs stopped.  
  
"I know how you feel, Yami-kun," Ryou murmured softly. "Sometimes.we think we can handle what life throws at us.sometimes we think we can handle forcing our feelings inside and taking on fate. But, sometimes, we're wrong, and we might pay the consequences if we don't find out the truth for ourselves."  
  
Yami pushed himself gently out of the albino boy's hold and stared at him. Slowly, realization came into his eyes.  
  
"No fucking way," Yami breathed, eyes wide. "Bakura is back, and you didn't tell us?!?!"  
  
Ryou blushed a slight pink color. "W-Well, I.he would've.I."  
  
Yami suddenly suspected something, and he grabbed hold of Ryou's upper arm. Ryou let out a strangled cry of pain, and Yami let go, anger burning in his eyes as Ryou clutched at his wounded arm.  
  
"How long has he been hurting you?" Yami snarled. Ryou let out a slight whimper and didn't answer. Yami gently tugged the boy's shirt up, revealing many bluish-purple bruises and scars.  
  
"By the hand of Ra, so help me, I'm going to kill him," Yami declared.  
  
"No!" Ryou pleaded, and Yami stared at him in shock. Ryou looked away, suddenly turning crimson.  
  
"My own Yami may treat me harshly, but sometimes I think I deserve it for being weak. Not like you and Yugi. You two are always courageous, especially when together."  
  
Yami glared at Ryou. "Don't ever say that again. You are just as courageous as any of us, you just show it to us differently. Ask Bakura to come out."  
  
Ryou's face paled in horror at the thought, but he did it anyway. Bakura materialized next to the albino boy, looking like an older version of Ryou, only meaner. Much meaner.  
  
"What's the deal, huh, weakling?!" Bakura snapped as Ryou flinched and backed away. "I don't have time for your stupid games!"  
  
Bakura raised his hand to strike the boy, but Yami clamped his own hand around it. Bakura turned, surprised and agitated.  
  
"Ryou-kun.leave us," Yami growled. Bakura gave him a narrowed Death Glare. Ryou backed away for a moment, unsure, then turned, and fled.  
  
"What do you want, Pharaoh?" Bakura hissed venomously, mocking Yami's former title. Yami snarled at him.  
  
"I want to know why you treat Ryou-kun so badly. He's just as strong as any of us, only in his own, different way, and he hides it, even from himself. You have no right to call him weak."  
  
"But he is weak!! He flinches from me even before I have struck him!"  
  
Yami's fist connected with Bakura's face, and Bakura hit the ground, hard.  
  
"The only reason he does that is because you have given him reason to fear you before you strike!" Yami narrowed his eyes, and then said slowly, "I'll bet.that when you try to be nice to Ryou-kun, if that were possible, it would still be considered cruel in every religion in the world."  
  
Bakura glared up at him, the harsh truth in the words ringing in his ears.  
  
"And what about you, Pharaoh?! You've given everything up for your aibou, only to have nothing in return!"  
  
"You are wrong, as always. Yugi-chan has given me the light of love in my heart. Once, I was like you, but Yugi turned me into something much better. He may not return my feelings, but he certainly returns friendship- which is more than what you have, Bakura!"  
  
Bakura, sulking, tried to disappear into his Millennium Ring, but Yami blocked him from doing so with his powers.  
  
"I'm not finished with you yet!" Yami declared, preparing to show the ancient spirit just who was boss here. "You will not leave until I dismiss you."  
  
Bakura glared in retaliation, sneering.  
  
'Well,' Yami thought, 'I'll certainly wipe the smirk off his face.'  
  
"I know you've had a harsh, cruel life in Egypt," Yami began softly. "Hell, Ra knows we all have, but that still doesn't give you the right to take it out on the one who possesses your Ring. You keep hurting Ryou-kun, just like the one who used to hurt you for his own problems with me. But, if you keep venting your anger and hatred, you're just going to create another 'you' out of Ryou-kun, and then Ryou-kun will create another, and out of that one, yet another, and another, and then the cycle will continue with all of this pain that you have caused."  
  
Bakura's face was indeed wiped of its smirk, and he stared at the ground intently. Yami sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You may think that Ryou-kun is weak, but he's not. Why else do you think he keeps the Ring instead of destroying it or giving it to someone else?"  
  
(Hey!!! Ryou is Frodo!!! AHAHAHAHAH!!!! *lmao*)  
  
Bakura mumbled something inaudible.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Bakura hated every word, but he murmured, "I don't know."  
  
"Good, because I would tell you anyway," Yami replied. (*snickers*) "Ryou- kun keeps your Ring because he is afraid of unleashing you upon some other poor soul, who is weaker than he is. He doesn't want to cause anyone the same pain that he is being dealt."  
  
Bakura mumbled something incoherent, then muttered, "Then why doesn't he just kill me or destroy the Ring?" (Because it has the power of Sauron behind it!!! WAHAHAHAH!!!)  
  
"Because of the same reason," Yami replied softly. "He doesn't want to hurt anyone."  
  
Bakura looked up at him, eyes wide.  
  
"Including you."  
  
Ryou finally stopped running, resting a hand against the nearest wall to steady himself as he regained his breath.  
  
'I wonder what Yami-kun wanted with my yami.' Ryou thought suddenly. Throughout his flight, he had forced any thoughts away, just reflecting in the wild freedom of running far and fast. Ryou looked around at his surroundings now, though, and when he realized where he was, he paled considerably whiter than his hair.  
  
"Oh no." he muttered, staring around in fear. This was the worst part of town. The crime rate was extremely high here.  
  
The worst place to be if you were alone, and still in pain from what your yami has done to you.  
  
Ryou turned, and began to make his way back to where he came from, jogging as quickly as possible while still trying to seem calm and strong. It didn't work.  
  
"Hi there, cutie."  
  
Blackness enveloped the albino boy's mind, and he fell into its murky depths.  
  
Bakura's eyes shot open.  
  
"Ryou!" he called. Yami stared at him.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Bakura merely grabbed him and sped off towards Yugi's home.  
  
"Minna-san, Ryou's in trouble!!!" Bakura shouted as he scrambled into the house, Yami following quickly. Numerous sounds of people falling or dropping something in surprise followed, and there was a sudden pounding from the top floor, of people running towards the steps.  
  
"Bakura!?!" Yugi exclaimed when he saw the teenager next to his yami. Jounouchi immediately growled.  
  
"Where's Ryou-kun?" he demanded. "What have you done with him?"  
  
"Nothing," Bakura snapped. "All I know is that Ryou is trouble. Will you help me find him or not?!"  
  
Everyone looked at each other for a brief second, and then fled out the door with Yami and Bakura.  
  
Ryou moaned, idly wondering why his head hurt so much. He opened his eyes, and looked around. It seemed he was in a small, dark room, probably in an abandoned warehouse. He heard the sounds of water nearby, and figured he was near the docks.  
  
It also meant he was a long way from home.  
  
He whimpered in fear, and tried to move. To his utter horror, his arms and legs had been tied with a strong rope, and his teeth hurt as if he had been punched after he was knocked out. Well, that ruled out the possibility of tearing the rope apart with his teeth. Ryou looked around, trying to think of what to do. He saw a sharpened stick near him, and edged toward it slowly. He tasted blood and dirt in his mouth, probably from being knocked out from a hit to the head, but he tried to ignore it as he moved forward. He maneuvered his body around so he could rub the rope tying his hands together against the sharp end of the stick, and began his work.  
  
"Ryou!!!"  
  
"Ryou-kun!!!!"  
  
"Where are you???"  
  
There was a sigh near Bakura, and he turned. Anzu looked at him with grave eyes.  
  
"At this rate, we'll never find him." she admitted sadly.  
  
"I'll ask again- what'd you do to him?" Jounouchi snarled at Bakura, and Yami glared at him.  
  
"I was talking to Bakura the whole time. He did nothing to Ryou, so cool it, Jou-kun."  
  
Jounouchi muttered darkly, and continued calling for the albino boy.  
  
"Ryou.why don't you just call out for me?" Bakura muttered. "Then I could easily find you..have I really made you that afraid of me.?"  
  
Yugi noticed the trickle of water that crawled down Bakura's face, and glanced up at Yami. Yami nodded slightly, confirming what Yugi was thinking. Yugi smiled slightly, despite the situation.  
  
//Ryou.why don't you just call out for me.?//  
  
Ryou's head shot up, and he looked around fearfully, expecting his yami to come out and beat him.  
  
//Then I could easily find you...//  
  
Ryou blinked. His yami was actually looking for him? A spark of hope began to shine within his heart. Perhaps the Pharaoh had talked sense into his yami, and now his yami felt that he was in trouble and was going to save him!  
  
But then he remembered all those times his yami had called him weak, saying he couldn't do anything by himself, and his resolve to escape without help strengthened. He rubbed his hands frantically against the stick, not caring if any splinters went into his flesh. He'd endured worse. Hell, it had been his yami that had made him endure worse, hadn't it?  
  
//...have I really made you that afraid of me...?//  
  
Ryou paused, listening for more. There was silence for a moment, and then he felt a whisper in the back of his mind, bringing tears to his eyes.  
  
//I'm so sorry...how could you ever forgive me...?//  
  
/"Bakura???"/  
  
Bakura's head shot up. //"Ryou!"//  
  
He took off towards the place where Ryou's energy burned brightly in his mind, lighting his way.  
  
"C'mon, I think he's found him!" Yugi shouted, and everyone began to follow the yami.  
  
/Can you really hear me?/  
  
//"Of course I can hear you, baka!"// Bakura muttered. Yugi smiled slightly. They bickered just like him and his own yami whenever they disagreed or said something stupid.  
  
Bakura felt his hikari's presence begin to fade, and called out again.  
  
//"No! Keep talking!"//  
  
//I'll find you// Bakura thought determinedly. He suddenly marveled at how much he had changed just from the things that the Pharaoh had said to him. He felt a sudden spark of something begin within his heart, warming it greatly, and refusing to be forced away like Bakura usually did with all other emotions. Bakura looked at Yami questioningly, but the Pharaoh merely smiled and him and winked.  
  
So this was what the Pharaoh had been talking about.  
  
//No! Keep talking! I'll find you.//  
  
Ryou felt heat rise in his cheeks unwillingly, and shook his head slightly.  
  
/What do you want me to talk about?/  
  
//Anything!//  
  
/Demo.../ (But...)  
  
//Sing a song or something!//  
  
Ryou snickered, feeling suddenly bold. His yami might hurt him later for it, but still, it would be funny.  
  
/I love you, you love me, we're a happy fa-mi-ly./  
  
//NO, NO!! ANYTHING but THAT!//  
  
Ryou tried to conceal the sound of his laughter. His kidnapper might still be near.  
  
/Um.well.are you a fan of Backstreet Boys.?/ (Ooo, I am!! *LOL* Sorry, had to put something funny in this intense part of the story)  
  
//Backstree-wha?//  
  
/Backstreet Boys. Oh, what the heck.um.I'll just.sing the first song of theirs that comes to mind./  
  
Ryou figured he would regret it later. Everytime he sang this song, it reminded him of his yami. What if his yami sensed that he was thinking of him while he sang this?  
  
Oh well.  
  
/Remember when  
  
We never needed each other?  
  
The best of friends  
  
Like sister and brother.  
  
We understood we'd never be alone.  
  
Those days are gone.  
  
Now I want you so much.  
  
The night is long,  
  
And I need your touch.  
  
Don't know what to say.  
  
Never meant to feel this way.  
  
Don't wanna be.alone tonight./  
  
Bakura unwillingly felt a smile come to his lips. Yugi and Yami stared at him.  
  
"What is it, Bakura-san?" Yugi inquired.  
  
"He's singing to keep the connection between us going since he doesn't know what to talk about.I never knew he could sing."  
  
"Well, maybe if you'd stopped hurting him, you would've known," Jounouchi scoffed. Bakura growled, ignoring the truth of the words.  
  
"Urusei, chihuahua," he snapped. Jounouchi glared.  
  
"I am NOT a barking chihuahua!! Jeez, when did you start hanging out with Kaiba?" (No offense, Kaiba fans. I'm a Kaiba fan too, but that's just the way Jou thinks of him)  
  
"Never," Bakura replied crossly.  
  
/"What can I do to make you mine?  
  
Falling so hard, so fast this time.  
  
What did I say, what did you do?  
  
How did I fall in love with you?"/  
  
To his horror, Ryou had accidentally been singing aloud, and it had attracted the attention of his captor. He heard sounds of voices coming from the next room, and dark, evil chuckle. That didn't sound good. That also meant there was more than one kidnapper.  
  
/Yami, they're coming for me!! Help me!/  
  
//Stay calm! We're almost there! Just keep talking!//  
  
/But I don't know what to talk about! I'm scared!/  
  
//Alright, fine! Uhh.when did you first hear a song by the Backstreet.people?//  
  
/Backstreet BOYS! And I don't remember!/  
  
//TRY! Why do you like their songs?//  
  
/Cause they make me feel good, and I like to sing! Their voices harmonize nicely, I think./  
  
//Good. What's your favorite song?//  
  
/The song I was just singing./  
  
//Okay, then what's that called? We're almost there. Hang in there.//  
  
/It's called How Did I Fall In Love With You?...Hurry!/  
  
//I see the building!//  
  
Ryou had no time to reply, as the door opened, and his captives stepped into the room. Ryou hastily backed away, making sure to grab the sharp stick in case he had to defend himself.  
  
//Ryou?! Are you there?! Speak to me!//  
  
"What do you want from me?! Get away!" Ryou demanded, scrambling away as far as he could go. He felt his yami begin to look through his eyes and listen through his ears, and didn't object. The three men chuckled.  
  
"We just want to get acquainted, hon'," one of them said. Ryou's eyes widened in horror. They thought he was a girl! And they wanted to.to.  
  
"Leave me alone! I'm a guy!" Ryou declared in sudden desperation, knowing he sounded like an idiot as he said it.  
  
"Oh, we know that already."  
  
Ryou paled.  
  
/Hurry, yami!/  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: BWUAHAHAHAH!!!! I am the evil master of cliffhangers!!! Bow down to me! *a tomato collides with her head* ....very funny, I was just joking. I'll only continue the next chapter if I get a lot of good reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: *looks over at Yami, Yugi, Ryou, and Bakura*  
  
Minna: *all sulking except for Ryou* The Dragon Mistress does not own Yu-Gi- Oh, or its many characters, so no suing her.  
  
Yami: *mutters* Though once that damn contract expires, it's payback time.  
  
Bakura: *whispering* You said it.  
  
Author: *clears throat* Ah-AH-AHEM!  
  
Yami and Bakura: *runs*  
  
Author: Come back here! *chases after them*  
  
*seconds later there is a shouting of an incantation, then the words "DRAGU SLAVE!" and a large boom ensues*  
  
Ryou: ^^; Dragon Mistress does not own Slayers, or its many spells either. 


	3. The Rescue

Author's Notes: *munching on Ravioli and sipping Mountain Dew (DO THE DEW!) while checking to see if any reviews have come up* OH MY GOD!!!! *squeals and spits out the Dew all over the place* I got 7 reviews less than a day after I posted this!! EEK! One of my favorite authors reviewed! *faints*  
  
Ryou: *sweatdrop* Oooookay, I guess I'll have to answer the reviews for Dragon Mistress. O.o;;;  
  
Author: Nope! I can answer!  
  
Ignis Aqua- Weeellllll, see, there's a problem. You're the only one who wants it turned into a lemon. Just invite all your lemon-loving friends to come read and review, and I just might do that! ^^  
  
KawaiiBlackMoon: Sorry 'bout the cliffhanger thing. *sweatdrops* I don't know how to end my chapters any other way.  
  
AngelHideki: WOW! You liked it that much? Wai!  
  
Blue Diamond: Woah, long review. ARIGATOU! In your favs? Really? *blush* And this is my first Yu-Gi-Oh fic too. I'll admit that Ryou is definitely accident-prone. I'm really that good? Thanks!!!!! I'll have to read some of your fics! Oh, sorry about that little thing. I didn't realize how FF.Net would convert my Microsoft Word format. I've changed it now, so don't worry. ^_^  
  
Wildwolf: WOW!!! You reviewed for lil' ol' me? *sniff* That's sweet. And you were already in my favorites list before I checked the reviews. ^^ *LOL* Don't worry, Bakura-kun won't let them hurt his hikari!!  
  
grr...: *raises an eyebrow* *sarcastically* Nice nickname. Did you come up with that all by your puny little self? Look, I was just like you once- stubborn, prideful, and seriously narrow-minded. It JUST SO HAPPENS that the only gay stories I like are of Yu-Gi-Oh, Sorcerer Hunters, and Card Captor Sakura. If you hate gay stories so much, then quit reading them and telling people how sick they are! They're only going to write more just to annoy the hell out of your ass! It's not MY fault they made Tea/Anzu a stuck-up girl who rants about friendship and then doesn't live up to it, and that Mai is a total whore!! Besides, those are the only females in the show except for Jounouchi's sister Serenity (dunno Japanese name...). It's not my fault that the makers of the show left us with only guys to pair up. SO. GET. A. LIFE. And quit flaming my story with sentences that have no backup points. If you want to prove your point, give us some hard evidence. Oh, and, by the way, it seems as if you are outnumbered by people that like my story. It's 10 to 1. Or, actually, *looks over at the two enraged yamis* make that 12 to 1.  
  
Bakura: *glares at "grr...", holding Ryou protectively, while Yami does the same with Yugi*  
  
Anyway, this is a Yami x Yugi pairing story, which is now becoming a Ryou Bakura x Yami Bakura. In this story, Bakura will be called Ryou and Yami Bakura will be just Bakura. For us Americans, Joey is Jounouchi, Tea is Anzu, and Tristan is Honda.  
  
I made this an R just to be safe. It MIGHT be NC-17 later on if I get enough reviews of people wanting it. *blinks* If I give a warning that this is a gay story, then don't fucking read it if you're just gonna flame with no point to the flame.  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Three: The Rescue  
  
/Hurry, yami!/  
  
Bakura had been looking through his aibou's eyes and listening through his ears, and had heard everything. It was more than enough to get him moving. He ordered everyone but Yami to stay outside the building, and then entered the abandoned storage building as silent as a cat stalking a mouse. Since Bakura and Yami were both ancient spirits who lived within a Millennium Item, it was easy to talk telepathically.  
  
Do you know where Ryou-kun is?? Yami questioned anxiously.  
  
I have a pretty good idea, Bakura answered absent-mindedly, using the last traces of Ryou's aura to locate the boy. We need to hurry. His captors are going to hurt him soon.  
  
Nani?!?!?  
  
SHHH!!!  
  
Ryou looked fearfully from one face to the next, furiously trying to shred the rope tying his hands together with the stick, telling himself over and over that his yami was almost here. Before he could completely shred the rope, one of the men lifted him by his shirt collar.  
  
"Hello again. Miss me?"  
  
It was the one who had knocked him out. Ryou spat in his face.  
  
"You just wait till Bakura gets here!"  
  
//That's right, Ryou! FIGHT!//  
  
It felt weird saying his own last name as if it were a different person. He didn't have time to dwell on that thought, however, as the man he'd spat at slapped him roughly.  
  
"No one can save you. If they even try getting near, we'll tear 'em to pieces, just like we will with you when we're done."  
  
"You don't know Bakura," Ryou whispered, ignoring the pain and furiously scrubbing the stick against the binding rope. Ryou felt it slide off his hands, and he whipped the stick around in front of him, scraping it against his main captor's face. He howled with fury more than pain, accidentally dropping the boy. Ryou scrambled away hastily, clinging to the stick as if it would save his life.  
  
Which it just might end up doing anyway.  
  
Ryou tugged the rope binding his feet together off his legs and leaped into a standing position just as his main captor recovered and advanced toward him, his flunkies following. Ryou looked around frantically for a means of escape or something to fight with, and found nothing.  
  
"We'll teach you to fight back!" one of the men snarled, and leaped upon him. Ryou jabbed the stick into something, he didn't know what, but he felt it splinter against skin.  
  
Oh shit. It was broken.  
  
The man grunted with pain, and punched him, hard, in the stomach. Ryou felt the wind in his lungs forcibly leave, and he slumped to the ground, clutching his wounded middle. His captors congratulated themselves on their victory, and ripped his shirt off. Upon seeing the many bruises and scars, they figured he had endured this kind of treatment before, and merely continued their work.  
  
Ryou looked dizzily at the doorway, thought he saw an Angel-Demon standing within it, and then went limp.  
  
Bakura's eyes glowed with the fire of hatred as he stepped into the room. Everyone in the room immediately felt his presence, and turned.  
  
"What the hell?!" one demanded upon seeing the exact replica of a slightly older version of their captive.  
  
"How dare you hurt my hikari." Bakura snarled, not noticing that he was glowing a dark blue color that moved as if it were flames. Yami stepped away from him, knowing exactly what was happening, and teleported next to Ryou's slumped form, wrapping his arms around the boy and setting up his shield.  
  
"Take 'im," one commanded, and they all advanced toward the yami. Bakura smirked sadistically, and let go of the control on his power.  
  
Yugi, Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda all cried out in horror as part of the building exploded.  
  
"Yami." Yugi breathed, praying that his love hadn't been killed.  
  
Yami let his shield drop once he was sure it was safe to do so. He let go of Ryou, who was unconscious, and stood aside, letting Bakura take over. Bakura kneeled next to the wounded boy, and traced a gentle hand over all of the wounds he'd dealt just a day or two ago. There was even one from this morning. Bakura let the tears fall for once, and scooped up the albino boy in his arms, standing and turning towards the exit. Yami picked up Ryou's torn shirt, and draped it over the boy, who was shivering even in his sleep. Yami noticed that it was, indeed, a little chilly in here, and summed up that it was probably from Bakura's power eruption.  
  
Everyone stared as Bakura came out of the building, holding their unconscious friend, and were shocked to see tear trails on his face. Yugi immediately ran to Yami's side, not even pausing to wonder how Bakura could cry.  
  
"Are you okay?!" Yugi breathlessly demanded. Yami smiled slightly, and nodded, still a bit unnerved at being near his hikari when Yugi had chosen someone else.  
  
"Bakura did all the work," Yami replied, smiling slightly at the retreating form of the ancient spirit. "I didn't even need to go inside, except to protect Ryou from Bakura's power eruption."  
  
Yugi cocked a quizzical eyebrow, and turned to watch Bakura. Everyone began to follow the ancient spirit, who didn't seem to notice them. It seemed as if he was only interested in carrying his hikari home.  
  
And indeed he was.  
  
"Alright, I can't stand it anymore!" Anzu finally burst out after a few minutes of walking in silence. Jounouchi, easily telling what Anzu meant, asked the question for her. He ran in front of Bakura, arms spread to stop the spirit.  
  
"We have ta know- did you make those wounds on Ryou-kun?!"  
  
Silence ensued, though only for a moment. It seemed, however, like an eternity before Bakura answered.  
  
"Yes," he whispered broken-heartedly. "I did give him most of these wounds."  
  
Yami saw the punch coming before Yugi did, and Yami stopped Yugi from jumping into the fray. Jounouchi's fist connected with Bakura's chin with a resounding THOCK! sound, and Bakura hit the ground, his hikari's limp form draped over him. Bakura gritted his teeth against the pain.  
  
"I know I deserved that, Jou-san, but can we please settle this." Bakura looked up at Jounouchi, dried tear trails on his face, ".after we get Ryou home and we know for sure that he's safe?"  
  
Jounouchi was rooted to the spot, staring down at Bakura, whose chin was getting a purplish tinge to it. Yami moved forward finally, scooped Ryou up, and hefted Bakura to his feet.  
  
"Come on, everyone, Bakura's right. Let's go to my aibou's home. We'll talk there later," Yami instructed with a note of finality not even Pegasus would have dared challenge, and everyone went to Yugi and Yami's home in complete and utter silence.  
  
Yami laid Ryou down on Yugi's bed as his aibou's Grandpa went to find the first-aid kit. Ryou began to shiver again, without his shirt on (Grandpa had also gone to wash it), and so Yami covered the boy with the bed-sheets. Yami straightened, and turned, facing the people gathered in his and his aibou's room. Jounouchi still seemed in shock, and was sitting down on the floor, staring at nothing in particular. Honda sat next to him, silent, glaring at the floor. Anzu and Yugi kept giving each other worried glances. Bakura was sitting on the exact same windowsill that Yami had been sitting at just last night, and was, like Yami before him, staring at the horizon.  
  
Yami cleared his throat, and everyone looked at him. He took a deep breath, and sighed.  
  
"This has been a long day for all of us. I want every single one of you here to know that Bakura is on our side. While he may not have been like us before today, I spoke with him, and now he is just as kind as any of us."  
  
Bakura mumbled something, and Yami shot him a glare, easily hearing it.  
  
"Or as kind as some of us, anyway," he growled, frowning at the spirit as if to say, 'Happy?'.  
  
"Now then, I want everyone here to know that I was exactly like Bakura before I met Yugi."  
  
Those who's gazes had drifted away from Yami now snapped back, surprised. Yami gave a small smile at Yugi, who returned the smile, and Yami broke the gaze.  
  
"Every spirit who now lives inside one of the Millennium Items had horrible lives in Egypt. Some, like me, had better lives than most, like Bakura, and are easier to turn nicer. I, for example, was the Pharaoh-"  
  
There were gasps from some who didn't already know like Yugi and Bakura, but Yami continued as if he didn't notice.  
  
"-and I ruled over Egypt as best as I could. There was nothing wrong with my life, though it may have been lonely at times, and I constantly played Duel Monsters to distract me from that loneliness. Which is how I earned the title 'King of Games'. However, there were many enemies of mine who wanted me dead, and they killed me horribly, in a very cruel way. I was then sealed within Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, the ones who did so wanting a strong spirit to help seal the Shadow Games, now called Duel Monsters. Bakura, on the other hand-"  
  
Bakura made a disturbed noise as if he didn't want Yami to tell everyone, but Yami silenced him with a glare.  
  
"Do you want everyone to believe you've changed or not?!"  
  
Bakura mumbled something, and looked out the window again, tuning out of the conversation. Yami frowned slightly, and continued his tale.  
  
"Bakura, on the other hand, was a slave his whole life. His master constantly beat and whipped him for his own troubles, which were usually with me, which is probably why he so seems to hate me in this life."  
  
There were a few half-hearted snickers.  
  
"Because of Bakura's horrible treatment, Bakura turned out the way he did, while I, who had a better life but a hard death, turned out nicer, especially because of aibou."  
  
Yugi blushed, but there was a brilliant smile on his face that he tried to hide.  
  
"Now that you know this tale, you mustn't tell anyone else."  
  
"Who would believe us anyway?" Honda inquired quizzically. Yami opened his mouth to answer, and paused, shutting it.  
  
"Good point," Yami answered after a moment, and everyone gave soft smiles. There were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Yugi's Grandpa came in with the first-aid kit.  
  
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Jiichan!" Yugi chirped before closing the door and running over to his bed where Ryou lay. Yugi knelt and began to clean and bandage Ryou's wounds and bruises.  
  
"So, therefore," Yami concluded after a moment of thought. "I don't want anyone being mean to Bakura-kun for what he did before now."  
  
A few people nodded.  
  
"Jou-kun?"  
  
Jounouchi nodded.  
  
"Alright, now that we're settled on this subject-"  
  
"Let's eat, I'm starving," Yugi supplied, and everyone laughed despite the situation.  
  
"I'll stay here and watch over Ryou," Bakura announced, bringing a chair over to the bedside and sitting in it. Jounouchi paused as he went out the door, but Yami pushed him out with a stern look. Everyone went downstairs, leaving Bakura alone with his other half. Or so he thought.  
  
Bakura sighed, and whispered, "How could you even begin to forgive me? Not even you are that pure-hearted and unselfish."  
  
"You'd be surprised."  
  
Bakura paled, recognizing the voice, and he whirled around, fixing the young woman with a wide-eyed gaze.  
  
"B-But you.you were sealed!" he cried. Yuumei smiled at him.  
  
"I was released from my seal when your heart changed," Yuumei answered. "I am, after all, the Change of Heart Card."  
  
And indeed she was. The right side of her body (left side from Bakura's perspective) was dark and foreboding, with dark, dirty blonde hair, deep purple eyes, and a large demon wing, looking like it belonged on an evil dragon more than this odd woman. Her left side (again, right from Bakura's perspective) radiated cheerfulness, with light blonde hair, shimmering blue eyes, and a large angel wing. Her sorceress's gown was light blue on her hikari side, and a rich royal purple on her yami side.  
  
Her voice was the oddest thing about her, despite seeming as if her body was split in half. Her voice was the happy, childish lilt of a little girl, but at the same time, it was the cold, icy sneer of an evil woman. The two sides of her voice weaved in and out among the other, so you couldn't tell which side you were speaking to- the one that was compassionate or the one that was cruel.  
  
Bakura blinked. "What do you want with me?"  
  
Yuumei giggled childishly. "Nothing. I brought a friend with me, she's the one who wants to meet your aibou."  
  
Bakura's eyes widened as the Lady of Faith appeared next to the Change of Heart. The Lady of Faith, Mikomi, materialized next to the young woman. Mikomi had long cerulean hair, and kind ocean blue eyes. She had on a blue robe just like Yuumei, only with the sleeves rolled up, and a forest green cape, with two small armor plates on each shoulder. She also had on a large hat, its original color pink, but it had purple stripes and purple linings. There was a golden star in the middle of it, with a jade green gem in the center of the star, and on the bottom purple edge of the hat was another yellow star, this time with a smaller black star within.  
  
"She has come to heal your hikari," the darker half of Yuumei said, and then the little girl voice inquired, "Is that alright with you?"  
  
"Of course," Bakura replied, relaxing. Mikomi stepped forward to the side of the bed, smiled briefly at Bakura, and then placed her hands together, the tips of her fingers touching each other. She began to chant in a soft, soothing voice. (Anyone have the card? If not, this is what it says, "Soothes the souls of others by chanting a mysterious spell." I figured it was perfect for this moment.)  
  
Bakura heard someone coming up the stairs, and he and Yuumei turned to the door as it opened. Yugi cried out in shock.  
  
"Bakura-kun, who are all these people?!" he demanded in a hushed voice, so his grandfather wouldn't hear. Yami looked over his other half's head, saw Yuumei and Mikomi, and smiled, placing a hand on Yugi's shoulder.  
  
"It's alright, Yugi-chan. That's Yuumei, the Change of Heart Card, and the one putting a spell on Ryou to heal him is Mikomi, the Lady of Faith." (By the way, Yuumei means Dream, and Mikomi means Hope or Prospect. I couldn't find the word Faith in Japanese, so I settled for Hope. *grumbles*)  
  
Yugi looked up at his yami. "The Cards can come to life?"  
  
Yami grinned. "You should see what the Dark Magician looks like. He was a good friend of mine. He looks a lot like Xelloss Metallium from that show you really like -Slayers, I believe?- when he takes off his armor."  
  
Yugi stared. "Really?"  
  
Yami chuckled. "Hai. His name is Kage." (Which means Shadow and is pronounced "Kah-gay". Mikomi is pronounced "Mik-oh-mee" while Yuumei is pronounced "You-may")  
  
"Could I meet him?" Yugi questioned excitedly. Yami chuckled.  
  
"If his seal is broken, then yes."  
  
"Seal? What're ya guys talkin' about?" Jounouchi inquired from behind them. Yugi and Yami stepped into the room, and turned around, looking at their friend as he walked into the room. The rest of the group followed. They all stared at Yuumei, who just smiled back at them. Mikomi stopped chanting her spell, and a bright light surrounded Ryou, which directed everyone's attention away from the real-life Change of Heart Card.  
  
The light faded, along with Yuumei and Mikomi.  
  
Ryou opened his eyes, and looked around the room.  
  
As soon as he saw Bakura sitting next to the bed, he cried out in fear and jerked away, hitting the wall that the bed was leaning against. Bakura's hopeful expression fell, replaced by a mask void of emotion, and disappeared into Ryou's Millennium Ring. Ryou had an expression of confusion on his face as he looked at the remainder of the room, his eyes focusing on Yugi-tachi. ("-tachi" basically means Yugi and co.)  
  
Yugi and Yami gave him a smile full of barely contained sadness, and the rest of the group were beaming at his recovery.  
  
"Yugi? Yami? May I please speak with the two of you.alone?" Ryou questioned. Yugi and Yami looked at each other, then at the three people behind them. Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda all shrugged, turned, and walked away, going downstairs to look at all of the Duel Monsters cards in Yugi's Grandfather's shop. Yugi his bedroom door as Yami went over to Bakura's former chair and sat in it.  
  
"Daijobu ka, Ryou-kun?" Yami questioned as Yugi locked the door before coming over to sit on his bed next to Ryou.  
  
"Hai." Ryou answered, still confused. He suddenly looked down at himself, examining his arms and chest. He looked up at Yami. "When did-?"  
  
Yami interrupted him. "The Lady of Faith Card came to life and healed you."  
  
Ryou blinked. "But weren't all of the Cards sealed because the Shadow Games got too powerful?"  
  
"That's the way the Legend goes," Yugi replied. Yami smiled.  
  
"Yes, that's the way it happened. Legends are often true. It's the myths you have to worry about. Anyway, point is, the only way to unseal a card is if it has some special significance to you the moment it happens."  
  
Ryou still stared at him, confusion on his face. Yami sighed.  
  
"To put it simply, the Change of Heart Card was unsealed because Bakura's heart changed, and the Change of Heart Card -Yuumei-, brought the Lady of Faith -Mikomi- to life to heal you."  
  
"But how was she able to do that?" Ryou inquired curiously. He was always interested in why or how things worked.  
  
"Because Bakura wanted so badly for what he'd done to go away. While his subconscious couldn't erase it from anyone's memory, especially your own and his, his subconscious could at least find a way to heal your wounds."  
  
Ryou sighed. "Thanks for your help, guys, but I think I want to be alone now."  
  
Yugi smiled and gently hugged Ryou. "Sure thing."  
  
"Want me to transport you home?" Yami inquired. Ryou smiled, relieved.  
  
"That would be great," he replied. Yami nodded, and Ryou disappeared.  
  
"What now?" Yugi inquired seriously. Yami fixed him with a solemn gaze.  
  
"We wait for either Bakura or Ryou to make their move."  
  
Yugi smiled slightly. "I have the feeling Bakura will be the first one to do so. Ryou is too shy."  
  
Yami nodded, looking away from him. Yami wished his aibou would make a move on him. But, alas, his hikari's heart belonged to another.  
  
Unknowing to Yami, Yugi was thinking the exact same thing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: O.o; Another chapter ended with Yugi and Yami thinking the same thing. Is it just me, or is that kinda weird?  
  
Disclaimer: *Yami and Bakura begin to run before they even say anything*  
  
Yugi: *sighs*  
  
Ryou: *shakes head sadly* Dragon Mistress does not own Yu-Gi-Oh, or its many characters.  
  
Author: Come back here, you two!! I'll sick Amelia's Justice Speech on you!!! *more screams follow, and Yami and Bakura instantly return, looking pale*  
  
Bakura: Please, ANYTHING...  
  
Yami: ...but HER!!  
  
Author: *cackles maniacally*  
  
Yugi: *sighs* Next chapter will be Six Flags and silliness!  
  
Ryou: ^^ And expect some Karaoke!! Ja ne! 


	4. Karaoke

Author's Notes: Well, *giggles* this will probably be the longest and the silliest chapter. This is what happens when you wake up at 5:30 in the morning and can't go back to sleep. *looks around, suddenly suspicious*  
  
Yami and Bakura: *whistles in an innocent way that fools no one*  
  
Yugi: *whispering to Ryou* There they go again.  
  
Ryou: ^^;; When will they ever learn?  
  
Author: *twitch* Do that again and I'll sick Yuumei on you both.  
  
Yuumei: *pops into the fic suddenly* I believe I heard my name. Konnichiwa! Remember me? ^^  
  
Yami and Bakura: *shudder in horror at Author's threat*  
  
Yuumei: Oh, come on, you babies.  
  
Author: *peace sign* ^____^ Anyway, below this is the list of the songs in this fic, who it's by/where it's from, and which character sings it in this fic. Is it just me, or is Bakura the only one singing a guy's song? o__o;;;;;  
  
Yugi- Faith In Me by Jessica Simpson  
  
Yami- White Reflection from Gundam Wing (Endless Waltz?)  
  
Ryou- Irresistible by Jessica Simpson (I love that song...)  
  
Bakura- Shape Of My Heart by Backstreet Boys  
  
Author: Oh, and, by the way, sometimes, in the previous chapters (and this chapter, I think), you might see a "." in the middle of a sentence when there's not supposed to be one. That's because of the way FF.Net converts my Microsoft Word format. It's actually supposed to be "..." instead. I'll try and catch all of them, but I might miss a few. *grumbles about stupid MW format macros*  
  
I also happened to notice that paragraph breaks, when it's changing scenes, doesn't work. SO I'm going to put ========================================================== in between whenever it changes scenes, okay? ^_~  
  
Oh, and, by the way, tomorrow morning I'm going to be leaving for Florida for about a week, and then, a week after I come back, school will start, so I might not be able to work on my chapters as much. They might get shorter and shorter until a "chapter" might be half of my previous chapters. *bows* Gomen nasai.  
  
Caffeinidated Elf: Wow! *blushes* Thanks for the compliments! I'm glad you got inspiration from it! This morning, I got inspiration from my N64 game which I haven't played in, like, two years. And, as for your comment to "Grr...", YOU RULE! Nice comments and points, there, Elf-san!  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Four: Karaoke  
  
"We're all going to go where?" Ryou managed to get out through a huge yawn.  
  
"We're going to go to Six Flags! Don't you want to come?"  
  
"Sure, if I can wake up enough. Otou-san is gone on a trip for work, so I don't have to worry about asking anyone. I'll just lock the house."  
  
There was a pause. Yugi seemed to be speaking to someone.  
  
"If you don't have enough money, Jiichan says he'll pay for you."  
  
"Oh, no, no, no, I have enough. I could never let you pay for me," Ryou exclaimed. Yugi chuckled.  
  
"Alright. See you at 7:45."  
  
"Ja ne."  
  
Ryou hung the phone, and immediately felt like plopping back down onto the bed and falling right back asleep. But if he did that he would never get ready in time to go. So, Ryou forced himself out of his bed, and crawled out of his room to the bathroom, where he showered.  
  
He emerged from the bathroom, brushing his wild silver hair, and gave another yawn before entering his room and dressing. He paused before he exited the room, his eyes catching on the Millennium Ring, which he had set down on his dresser before going to shower. As always, he felt mysteriously drawn to it, despite what the spirit inside had done to him, and he slipped it over his head. It fell comfortably onto his clothed chest, and Ryou instantly felt safer, more at ease. Why, he didn't know. The Ring just had that effect on him.  
  
He shrugged, and walked down the stairs into the kitchen. He hadn't heard another word out of his yami since he woke up yesterday to see his face looming above him, an odd look in his eye as Ryou jumped away in fear. Ryou had reacted before thought to what his yami had been saying to him through their link, and he immensely regretted leaping away from the spirit.  
  
He fixed his breakfast absent-mindedly, barely noticing what he was doing with the stove. He regretted that as well a few moments later when he accidentally touched the white-hot stove. Ryou screamed in pain, jumping back and falling onto the floor, clutching his burned hand. Bakura was instantly at his side, hefting him to his feet and pouring cold water from the faucet onto the wound. Ryou winced, and then opened his eyes when the pain ebbed from the icy water. His eyes met his yami's.  
  
Silence.  
  
Ryou broke the silence after finally not being able to stand it, smiled, and said, "Arigatou. That really hurt."  
  
Bakura blinked. "Aren't you..."  
  
"Afraid of you?" Ryou supplied. Bakura's twitched, but nodded. Ryou smiled.  
  
"A little. But I know you won't hurt me now."  
  
"How?"  
  
The question surprised Ryou. "How what?"  
  
"How do you know if I'm going to hurt you or not?"  
  
Ryou's eyes softened. "I can just tell. I'm sort of an empath. I can tell when people are sad or happy. They can just never tell if I'm sad."  
  
Bakura looked at him for a long, long moment with an odd look on his face. Much like that of one who wants to say something, but has no clue what to say. Needless to say, it was a pretty funny expression. Ryou's mouth twitched a couple times, then he broke out into a smile, giggled, and then finally burst into laughter, collapsing against the taller boy for support as he clutched his shaking sides. Bakura got a confused look on his face, and turned off the water, supporting the smaller boy until he calmed down a little.  
  
"What's so funny?" Bakura inquired, blinking in puzzlement. Ryou laughed for a little longer before gasping out his reply.  
  
"Your face!" he breathed, giggling madly. "You had...hahah!...this ...heehee...hilarious...ahahahaha!...look on...*GASP!*...your face!"  
  
Bakura blinked, and then shrugged. Once Ryou could stand without falling, Bakura finished cooking the younger boy's breakfast while Ryou tried to calm down. Bakura put the scrambled eggs on a plate, then added the bacon and the grits, and turned off the stove. Ryou watched him while he regained his breath.  
  
"When did you...learn to use...a stove?" Ryou questioned between breaths. Bakura glanced at his aibou.  
  
"I merely watched what you did in my soul room within the Ring."  
  
Ryou blinked, suddenly blushing. "What else can you see through my eyes?"  
  
Bakura grinned at him. "Sore wa himitsu desu." (For those who are not 'The Slayers TRY' or Xelloss fans, it means "That is a secret.")  
  
Ryou frowned at Bakura, blushing, and watched as the taller boy took the plate of food and set it on the table.  
  
"Eat up," Bakura suggested cheerfully before turning and walking towards the living room. He was stopped as arms wrapped around his middle. Bakura felt a head rest against his back.  
  
"Bakura?"  
  
"Hn?" Bakura inquired, blushing slightly himself.  
  
"Does this mean we're going to be more like Yugi and Yami?" Ryou asked softly. Bakura's eyes softened and he smiled gently, turning around and enveloping the smaller boy in a hug. Bakura buried his head within the other boy's soft hair, and suddenly recalled how Yami had collapsed into Ryou's arms, sobbing and wishing that Yugi would love him.  
  
"Yes, Ryou-chan, if you want it to be that way."  
  
'But the question is,' Bakura mused to himself. 'Do I want it that way?' (Hey...there's another BSB song that's popped up in my story..."I Want It That Way")  
  
He had no answer for himself, something that extremely bugged him.  
  
==========================================================  
  
DING DONG!  
  
"HAI!!!" Yugi called, rushing to the door. He flung it open, and was surprised to see Ryou standing in front of his door with Bakura at his side.  
  
Yugi observed the all black leather outfit Bakura had on for a moment, before saying, "You know...you're gonna get really hot in that, Bakura- kun."  
  
Bakura blinked, surprised that Yugi was not afraid of him or angry at him. Yugi's comment finally registered in his mind. "I am?"  
  
"Of course, goofy!" Yugi laughed. "It's the middle of July! Come on in, I'm sure Yami will let you borrow some of his clothes!"  
  
Yami walked into the room, wearing an apron. "Someone call my name?"  
  
Ryou giggled for a moment before bursting out in laughter once again, holding his heaving sides. Bakura stared, and Yugi slapped his forehead.  
  
"Yami-kun!!! How many times do I have to tell you that you don't HAVE to wear the apron in order to cook!"  
  
"It's not my fault you dragged me out of bed so friggin early," the former Pharaoh muttered before taking the apron off and going back into the kitchen.  
  
"If he's gonna wear that kind of style, I think I'm gonna stick with the black leather look," Bakura announced flatly. There was laughter from the living room, proof that Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda had all arrived before them and had heard their conversation. Ryou shook with laughter for a few more moments before calming down enough to follow Yugi up to his and his yami's room to help Bakura pick out clothes.  
  
==========================================================  
  
"Hey, Ryou-kun," Yugi suddenly said, a hint of laughter in his voice. Ryou peered up at him, and Yugi brought out a flowery dress.  
  
"What about this?" he chirped, before bursting out in laughter. Ryou joined in, cracking up. Bakura frowned in disgust at it.  
  
"Are you mad?" Bakura inquired calmly with the air of one asking about someone's zodiac sign. Yugi and Ryou merely laughed harder, so Bakura shut up, tapping his foot until the two calmed down.  
  
"That was a good one, Yugi-kun," Ryou gasped, wiping tears from his eyes. Yugi chuckled a moment before putting his mother's dress back in the far end of the walk-in closet, and rummaged around for a moment.  
  
"Aha!! Perfect!" Yugi declared, yanking an outfit out of the closet.  
  
/"Yami-kun!"/ Yugi called. /"Can Bakura-kun wear this??"/  
  
Yami, easily hearing his aibou through their mind-link, peered through Yugi's eyes.  
  
//Sure. Breakfast is almost done.//  
  
Yugi turned towards Bakura, and beamed. "Here you go."  
  
Bakura took the clothes from him, peering at them from this angle, then that angle, and finally groaned. He was ushered into the bathroom by Yugi and Ryou, and emerged a minute later in the outfit. Ryou whistled.  
  
"Very nice," Yugi complimented, then immediately declared, "I...am a genius."  
  
"I believe you may be right," Ryou agreed, cocking his head at his yami's clothes. Bakura wore a tight-fitting, sleeveless shirt, identical to Yami's usual attire with all of the buckles, only it was of a rich royal blue material. (Yami's is purple) He also wore royal blue spandex shorts, and a pair of midnight blue shoes. Bakura frowned at the two teenagers standing in front of him.  
  
"I look like an idiot," he hissed as they dragged him down the stairs.  
  
"Hmph," Yami commented, eyeing Bakura's outfit. "My style isn't that bad. You look fine."  
  
"Oh, wow. 'Fine.' That tells me a lot," Bakura commented dryly. Yami saw through the dryness in his voice to the humor he was trying to attain, and smirked, chuckling.  
  
"You look interesting. It's a new look that I think goes with you. Is that better, or am I going preppy?"  
  
Yugi stared. "I didn't know you knew what 'preppy' meant."  
  
Everyone lounging in the living room laughed heartily.  
  
"Hey, Ryou-kun!! Bring in Bakura! We wanna see what you're all droning on about in there!" Honda called. Ryou pushed the unwilling yami into the room, and everyone gazed for a moment. Jounouchi and Honda shrugged.  
  
"It's cool," they both commented at the same time.  
  
"Fabulous!" Anzu declared, clasping her hands together and jumping up to examine the yami from every angle. "Very nice. It contrasts nicely with his hair. It's a bit Yami-ish, but, hey, it looks intriguing. It's a great job, Yugi-kun. Now if we could just make his hair look a little less wild..."  
  
Bakura's eyebrow began to twitch, wishing with all his might that they would just forget about the damn clothes. What was so great about whether it matched or contrasted with your hair?! Bakura wondered if being with Ryou all the time meant hanging out with his clothing-loving friends. He hoped not.  
  
'The leather looked sexier,' a voice in the back of Ryou's mind declared insistently.  
  
Bakura wondered why Ryou began to blush crimson.  
  
"Yugi!" Yami suddenly barked. "Do you want breakfast or not?!"  
  
"Ack! Gomen ne, Yami-kun!" Yugi called back, racing towards the kitchen. Yugi's Grandpa walked into the room.  
  
"Oh," he commented, surprised upon noticing Bakura. "We're having another one come along? Yugi, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Caurse I dn'dt knrw," Yugi called back, obviously with a mouthful of food.  
  
"Yugi!"  
  
There was a pause, probably Yugi swallowing. "I said cause I didn't know!"  
  
But his Grandpa barely heard him, looking from Ryou to Bakura, Bakura to Ryou, then repeating the process over and over again. He suddenly smiled.  
  
"You two are like Yugi and Yami, aren't you?"  
  
Ryou glanced up at his yami, who smirked, and he smiled at Yugi's grandfather, fingering his Millennium Ring. "Yep, we sure are."  
  
Anzu peered at Bakura's expression interestedly.  
  
'Yup, we have another one on our hands,' she thought, sighing inwardly.  
  
"So, Anzu-chan, are you going to sit with Yugi on the rides?" Jounouchi questioned mischievously as Yugi and Yami came into the room. Yugi blushed, and Yami suddenly looked very interested in the wall nearest him.  
  
/Eto...Bakura-kun?/ (Eto means "Er")  
  
//Yes, aibou?//  
  
/Do you think we should tell Yami how Yugi feels about him so we can stop this madness?/  
  
//I don't know. What do you think?//  
  
/I don't know either, but it's not fun seeing Yugi and Yami this way. I think I'm gonna tell them. You'll help me, right?/  
  
//Of course.//  
  
/Arigatou./  
  
"Actually," Anzu smiled. "I only came to see you all off, remember? I've got work to do with my mom back home."  
  
/Now this is an unexpected turn of events.../ Ryou thought to his yami, who made a noise of agreement.  
  
"Alright, let's go!" Ryou suggested, looking around at everyone. They all said, "YEAH!", and piled into Yugi's grandfather's truck.  
  
==========================================================  
  
"So, what do we want to ride first?" Grandpa asked.  
  
"Superman!" Jounouchi, Yugi, and Honda chorused.  
  
"You're all pathetic!" Yami declared, rolling his eyes. Ryou nodded.  
  
"Yeah, cause we wanna ride the Batman, which totally defeats the Superman."  
  
A fierce glaring contest ensued, with Bakura staring around in confusion.  
  
"And the difference would be?" Bakura questioned.  
  
"In the Superman, you feel like you're really flying!" someone declared.  
  
"Oh yeah? Well the Batman goes faster than the Superman, and twists and turns so you feel like you're in a Sci-Fi flying car!" Ryou retorted. Grandpa merely chuckled.  
  
"Let's ride the Superman first before the line gets long, and then we'll do the Batman. Is that alright with everyone?" Grandpa suggested.  
  
Ryou and Yami grumbled, but nodded while everyone else minus Bakura cheered.  
  
"What is this 'ride'?" Bakura inquired. Everyone sweatdropped. Ryou smiled.  
  
"It's hard to explain. It's kind of like the truck seats- you're strapped down in the seat and what you're sitting on is moving. Or, as the case may be, what you're strapped to will be moving."  
  
"And what's the point of this strapped-in moving thing?"  
  
"To have fun!" Yugi chirped.  
  
"Cause it goes extremely fast!" Jounouchi added. Bakura blinked. Everyone grinned at him.  
  
"You'll see," Yami smirked. "Don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
Bakura glared. "You didn't."  
  
Yami chuckled. "Well, now I have."  
  
==========================================================  
  
"This is SO cool!" Jounouchi declared, jumping into the air excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, the line was barely filled with anyone," Ryou agreed.  
  
"So who gets the front?" Grandpa inquired. Yugi's grandpa wasn't actually going to ride any of the rides, because he was so small and old, but he still felt like bringing everyone to have fun.  
  
"Oh, can Bakura and I go in front?!" Ryou asked, practically bouncing. Bakura smiled at his aibou's antics. He had never seen him so happy.  
  
'If you hadn't always been hurting him, maybe you would've seen him like this sooner,' a nasty voice in his head reminded him, and the smile on his face dropped. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked to his right, where Yami stood. Yami gave him a soft, understanding smile.  
  
"The pain will lessen as the years go by," he murmured softly before rejoining his own aibou.  
  
"Anybody else want the front?"  
  
"Me!" Both Honda and Jounouchi declared at the same time. Grandpa sighed.  
  
"It's a three-fitter. We'll draw straws," he offered. He cut some straws with Yugi keeping watch to make sure no one saw which straws were in what position, and then turned towards the four people. They all drew out the straws, and Honda's face fell.  
  
"Darnit."  
  
"The line is short, so we'll just ride it again and switch positions, okay?" Ryou suggested.  
  
"Yeah, and me and Yami will join you up front, okay?" Yugi suggested.  
  
"Okay," Honda smiled.  
  
Their turn came, and everyone piled in- Ryou, Bakura, and Jounouchi in front, Yugi, Yami, and Honda in second. Bakura glanced over at Ryou at his aibou strapped in. Bakura tried to copy what Ryou did with the seat extensions. Bakura squirmed once he was done.  
  
"This is incredibly uncomfortable," he commented to Ryou. Ryou chuckled.  
  
"That's only cause you're not used to it," Ryou reassured him. "You'll hardly notice when the ride begins. And, indeed, his aibou was right. The floor dropped away, and the seats tilted back until their face were staring at the floor.  
  
"Holy Ra!" Bakura yelped, clutching the straps as the ride began to move, a few girls screaming, probably just for the heck of it, behind them all.  
  
"Hey! Don't diss the Gods!" Yami called, and everyone in their group chuckled. Ryou grinned, bouncing in his seat. Which was hard to do, considering the fact that he was perched on the strap holding him in the seat. (Those things were actually pretty comfortable to me, except when you're hanging with your face staring at the ground. Lucky me, I hate heights. O.O And I even went on Acrophobia!!!  
  
Bakura: *snickers* And when you were at the top you were whimpering that you wanted to get off. *notices Author's eyebrow-twitching Death Glare and runs, hiding behind Ryou*)  
  
"This is so cool!" he declared. Bakura smiled nervously at him.  
  
"I'm glad you're having fun," he commented as the ride began to go up stairs.  
  
"Oh, come on, you're gonna love this, Bakura," Ryou assured him once again. His eyes got an odd light in them as they topped a hill in the ride.  
  
"Here we go," he yelled as the back of the ride caught up with the front and they all plunged down. Bakura, for the first time since being sealed in the Millennium Ring, screamed. Ryou, too, was screaming, but Bakura noticed it was a different scream from that of pain. This kind of scream Bakura found himself liking. It was full of excitement and life. (Now don't get any ideas here, that comes later- IF I get enough reviews ^^)  
  
"WHOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!" Ryou cheered, with Jounouchi doing almost the same thing next to him. The ride twisted and turned, diving and raising up. At one point they even plunged headlong into a loop, on which the scream Bakura was trying to let out of his throat stuck and no sound came out. The ride ended just as suddenly as it had begun, and Bakura remained silent for a moment, panting.  
  
"Hey, look, Jou-kun, people dropped bubble-gum!" Ryou declared, pointing at all of the different colored globs littering the floor.  
  
"Hey, you're right!" Jou laughed.  
  
"That's disgusting!" they all heard Yugi exclaiming behind them.  
  
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Bakura moaned, and there was laughter all around him.  
  
"Daijobu ka, Bakura-kun?" Ryou inquired, the only one not laughing. ("Daijobu ka?" means "Are you alright?")  
  
"Told ya," Yami called.  
  
"Urusei, Pharaoh," Bakura called back, shaking his head slightly to clear his dizziness. The ride halted finally, and the seats all returned to their original position.  
  
"That's better," Bakura commented as the thing holding down raised up and Ryou gently tugged him to his feet.  
  
"And you called me weak," Ryou chuckled. Bakura's face fell.  
  
"Sorry," Ryou muttered, looking away. He'd forgotten how much mentioning his yami's former occupation as his personal torturer hurt the yami now. Bakura slipped an arm around the smaller boy's waist as they walked out through the exit, rejoining Yugi's Grandpa.  
  
"Daijobu." (It's alright.)  
  
"Let's do that again!!!" Honda crowed.  
  
"Yeah! That was awesome!" Jounouchi added, pumping his fist into the air. Bakura smirked.  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
"Aren't you afraid of getting sick?" Ryou questioned. Bakura grinned.  
  
"Not anymore. I'm used to it now."  
  
They rode it once again, switching positions, and then they all made their way across the park to the Batman ride. They walked through the empty line blocks for what seemed like forever. (I swear, that thing they use to keep the line in place must be three miles long! I should know! I walked most of the way for what seemed like forever- and it was HOT in there too! Hotter than outside in the middle of July, which is when me and my dad went. Don't ask what possessed us to go in the hottest peak of summer.)  
  
"Hey, it's a four-seater!" Yami called, getting the first view of the thing they would be riding in.  
  
"Cool," Jounouchi commented. "All those with a yami or a hikari sit in the front first, and then switch positions with me'n Honda, k?"  
  
Everyone agreed, and Bakura took the leftmost side, with Ryou next to him in the middle along with Yugi, and Yami on the rightmost side. (yes, those are words)  
  
"Bring it on," Bakura declared loudly, and the ride seemed to answer him, plunging downward and twisting them all over the place, right, left, left, left, right, upside-down, headlong, right, up, loop, loop, twist. It ended with a jolt, and then everyone remembered to breathe.  
  
"I didn't breathe through that whole ride!" Ryou exclaimed, laughing.  
  
"I know!" Yugi exclaimed. "It kinda sucks the breath out of you!"  
  
"You're telling me," Bakura gasped.  
  
"That was so sweet," they all heard Jounouchi comment, and laughed. They rode it again, just like the Superman, and then gathered around a Dip 'N Dots ice cream parlor, munching on their ice cream. Bakura stared at his for a moment along with Yami, and then they both looked at their aibous eating it happily, shrugged at each other, and stuck a spoonful in their mouths.  
  
"That's freaking cold!" Bakura exploded, coughing on the ice cream dots. Everyone laughed.  
  
"Didn't you ever have one of those-" Yami began, referring to a extremely cold drink back in Egypt.  
  
"Yes," Bakura interrupted. "It was disgusting."  
  
Yami stared. "I didn't think anyone else shared my views on those cups of waste."  
  
Bakura nodded, scooping another spoonful of the ice cream and fitting it in his mouth. "Hey, it's pretty good once you get over the coldness," he commented.  
  
"Yep!" Ryou chirped. "It's called Banana Split, cause it has the ice cream flavors of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and banana inside it."  
  
Bakura stared. "'Flay-vou?' 'Van-ella'? 'Chock-o-lat', and what? What are these things?"  
  
Ryou heaved a huge sigh. Yugi clapped him on the back companionably.  
  
"Now you know what it was like for me to try and convert Yami to modern times." (LOL!)  
  
Ryou groaned, and everyone except Bakura and Yami laughed. The two yamis merely frowned.  
  
"To put it simply, 'flavor' is a type of something. It's what it tastes like in your mouth. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and banana are all flavors, with noticeable qualities. Oh, and a word of warning. It also has another purpose- to get young people hyper."  
  
"Hyper? What's that?"  
  
Yugi and Ryou suddenly burst out laughing, giggling madly. Jounouchi and Honda joined in, cackling wildly, and they all started trying to fling the ice cream at each other. Yami heaved a huge sigh.  
  
"THAT is hyper. It means they all get extremely excited from a rush of a material called sugar, which is in the ice cream, to their bloodstream, and they all start doing silly things. Once Yugi tried to turn Ryou-kun's hair pink."  
  
"What a horrible food to invent," Bakura stared, horrified.  
  
"No kidding," Yami growled as a clump of ice cream was flung over his head, his eyebrow twitching. (*lmao*)  
  
"Alright, everyone, calm down," Grandpa instructed firmly. "This ice cream costs a lot here. I don't want you flinging all that money away."  
  
"Gomen nasai," everyone murmured as one, immediately stopping their rampage.  
  
"Luckily, it wears off easy," Yami commented as everyone finished their ice cream calmly. "Especially if Jiichan is around."  
  
Bakura muttered, "Note to self: never let Ryou-chan have ice cream at home."  
  
"Aww, come on, Bakura-kun, I used to always eat ice cream to get my energy back up after-" Ryou paled, and changed what he was about to say. "A-After homework."  
  
Bakura's smile seemed strained. He knew full well what Ryou had been about to mention. "We'll see."  
  
"Okay, so where to next?" Jiichan inquired.  
  
"Karaoke!" Ryou immediately declared. Everyone looked at him, and he blushed. "It's not my fault I can sing."  
  
"Yami can sing too!" Yugi declared. "Can't you, Yami-kun??"  
  
Yami spluttered for a moment, embarrassed. Bakura smirked at him.  
  
"You're right, the ice cream was a bad idea."  
  
Yami grumbled as Yugi and Ryou dragged him towards the Karaoke building.  
  
/Bakura-kun, you getting what I'm thinking?/  
  
//Yep.//  
  
Yami-kun, you really love Yugi, don't you? Bakura inquired in the Pharaoh's mind. Yami's eyes seemed far away as Yugi yanked him into the building.  
  
Yes, I do...  
  
You want to let him know in a way that won't quite be obvious but will be once you two are together?  
  
Yeah, I guess...how?  
  
Sing a song that has relation to the situation right now.  
  
What song?  
  
//What song is it again?//  
  
/White Reflection./  
  
Bakura repeated Ryou's words in Yami's mind. Yami blinked.  
  
I know that song...  
  
Good. It'll be easier for you to sing it.  
  
Yami gave him a suspicious look that no one seemed to notice but Bakura.  
  
Why are you suddenly helping me with this?  
  
Bakura gave him a soft smile, and an understanding seemed to pass between them without words. Yami's eyes went wide.  
  
When did this happen?  
  
Bakura blushed a slight pink color that his hikari noticed.  
  
I don't really know. It just...sorta...happened...  
  
"Bakura-kun, are you alright? I hope you're not getting overheated- your face is all red."  
  
Bakura smiled, forcing the redness to go away. "Nope, I'm fine."  
  
"Alright, so who sings first?" Honda questioned.  
  
"Aren't you gonna sing?" Yugi inquired. Honda and Jounouchi stared at him.  
  
"Are you outta your mind?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"You know we can't sing worth a flip," Honda finished. Yugi shrugged.  
  
"Your loss, then."  
  
Yugi and Ryou immediately flew over to the list of songs, quarreling over which song was the best. Bakura caught Yami's eye and gave him a small smile of encouragement. Yami found the number of the song Bakura had told him, and told it to the woman at the desk. She smiled, thanked him for the money he handed her, and then led him into the room where he would be singing. It was an opaque room, with tinted glass panes so he would be able to see everyone, but they wouldn't be able to see him.  
  
"Just relax," the woman instructed with a kind smile, and shut the black door. Yami gulped, and a mechanical voice spoke to him from a speaker somewhere in the room.  
  
"Your 1 minute practice session with the song will now begin in...3...2...1..."  
  
Yami sang the song perfectly (Let's just pretend it's a guy who sings the song instead of a girl. It'll be easier that way, especially since Yami has such a deep voice.), and was a little disappointed when the practice session ended.  
  
"We will begin recording now. Relax, and have fun. 5...4...3...2...1..."  
  
Music began, and words in Japanese showed up on the screen. When it came time for Yami to sing the actual words, the words turned green.  
  
"I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
mitsumekaesu hitomi ni  
  
egaite harukana "NEVER ENDING STORY"  
  
kanashimi mo itami  
  
mo furikiru you ni habataku  
  
anata ga kureta tsubasa wo kono mune ni hirogete...  
  
aa kakegaenai ai no kodou wo  
  
setsunaku kuruoshiku kanjiteitai  
  
I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
atsuku yume wo kasanete  
  
ayamachiosorezu ni motomeau seishun!!  
  
I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
mitsumekaesu hitomi ni  
  
egaite harukana "NEVER ENDING STORY"  
  
afuredasu omoi wo suhada de sotto tsutaeru  
  
yasashiku nareru tsuyosa wo dakishimeru mitai ni...  
  
aa hageshiku yureugoku jidai wo  
  
kedakaku shinayaka ni koeteikitai  
  
I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
yurushiaeru shinjitsu  
  
kuchizuke kawashitara mou nani mo iranai!!  
  
I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
akiramenai jounetsu  
  
shinjite tsuranuku "NEVER ENDING STORY"  
  
I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
atsuku yume wo kasanete  
  
ayamachiosorezu ni motomeau seishun!!  
  
I FEEL YOUR LOVE REFLECTION  
  
mitsumekaesu hitomi ni  
  
egaite harukana "NEVER ENDING STORY"..."  
  
(I feel your love reflection; A far away, never ending story is painted in your eyes as you gaze back at me; The wings you gave me, I spread open in my heart; Their fluttering seems to shake off the sadness and pain. Aa, I want to feel the pain of the pulsing of irreplaceable love. I feel your love reflection.; Pile up the dreams thickly; Young ones who desire each other, fearless of mistakes. I feel your love reflection; A far away, never ending story is painted in your eyes as you gaze back at me.; I want to softly communicate to your bare skin; the feelings that are spilling over; As if hugging close the strength to become gentle. Aa, I want to nobly, lithely, overcome this unstable age. I feel your love reflection; The truth of our acceptance of each other; Kiss me, and there is nothing else I need!! I feel your love reflection; Believe in the passion that will not give up; Our piercing-through "never ending story." I feel your love reflection; pile up the dreams thickly; Young ones who desire each other, fearless of mistakes. I feel your love reflection; A far away, never ending story is painted in your eyes as you gaze back at me.)  
  
When he finished, Yami blinked in surprise. It wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. The wait had definitely had been worse. The door opened, and Yami walked out calmly. Bakura was smirking at him, amused at something, and the woman gave him another small smile.  
  
"We're going to play it outside the building now."  
  
"NANI?!?!?" Yami shrieked, his face turning a pinkish color. Bakura chuckled, and Yami glared at him.  
  
"C'mon, everyone, let's go see what Yami was like!" Yugi suggested, and they all ran outside. Yami groaned, and was forced to go outside with them.  
  
When the song came on, and his voice rang over the microphone, Yami was horrified yet pleased to find he had a crowd gathering. His face was completely crimson, and he could barely move. Bakura ended up picking him up, moving him inside the building, and then setting him back down, forcing him to sit.  
  
"So, who's next?" Grandpa questioned cheerily.  
  
"Oo, I will, I will!" Yugi announced excitedly, pointedly looking at Yami. He scribbled down his song number on a sheet of paper after a few seconds, and told the woman he wanted the song added to the same CD Yami's song would be on. She stared at the sheet of paper for a moment, then looked up at him.  
  
"You do know a girl sings this song, right?"  
  
Everyone looked at Yugi in surprise. Even Yami seemed to come out of his trance a little more. Yugi blushed.  
  
"Ryou-kun taught me how to sing high," he mumbled, and everyone's attention was moved to Ryou while the woman led Yugi into the room Yami had been in.  
  
"You can sing high notes?" Jounouchi repeated. Ryou smiled.  
  
"Yep. As a kid, I used to imitate how my mom sang. That is, before she died." (Is this wrong? Someone please tell me in a review if it is, please.)  
  
"So what's this about you teaching Yugi?" Yami inquired. Ryou blushed slightly.  
  
"Well, he saw a song that he really liked and wanted to sing along with it, but the problem was that he couldn't sing that high. Sooooo, I taught him how. He's very good. Wait till you hear him."  
  
Yugi, inside the room Yami had been in, finished with the 1-minute practice session, and began to sing the actual song, thinking of Yami.  
  
"Ho ooh.  
  
When I see you there I'm so aware how lucky I am, baby.  
  
Cause I don't deserve, I don't come close to understanding, baby,  
  
The logic of your kind of trust. It amazes me.  
  
It's the more like you would care enough to just believe.  
  
Your faith in me. It pulls me through when there's nothing around to hold on to.  
  
When I fall, when I'm weak, all the strength that I need is your faith, baby.  
  
Your faith in me.  
  
Even with your love I get along cause I've always been, baby,  
  
It's a nice salvation to my soul cause that's how it feels, baby.  
  
The sacred thing that I keep close to carry on.  
  
And I know that I will be all right and you're here at all.  
  
Your faith in me. It pulls me through when there's nothing around to hold on to.  
  
When I fall, when I'm weak, all the strength that I need is your faith, baby.  
  
Your faith in me.  
  
You make me feel I can walk on water. (I can reach above the stars)  
  
And now then comes our guessing, safe within your arms.  
  
Your faith in me. It pulls me through when there's nothing around to hold on to.  
  
When I fall, when I'm weak, all the strength that I need is your faith, baby.  
  
Your faith in me.  
  
When I fall, baby, when I'm weak, baby. All I need, baby. Is your faith in me.  
  
When I fall, baby, when I'm weak, baby. All I need, baby. Is your faith in me.  
  
When I fall, baby, when I'm weak, baby. All I need, baby. Is your faith in me.  
  
When I fall, baby, when I'm weak, baby. All I need, baby. Is your faith in me.  
  
Hoooo..."  
  
The door opened after a moment's wait, and Yugi came out feeling oddly happy and excited inside. Yugi dragged Yami outside before anyone else could move, and they all listened as Yugi sang the song.  
  
"You can sing high!" Honda declared, sounding surprised.  
  
"What, didn't believe me?" Yugi countered. "Ryou can sing even higher."  
  
Ryou blushed. "Yugi!"  
  
"Well, you can!"  
  
"Now who goes next?"  
  
"I will," Bakura announced, looking at Ryou. Yami gave a small smirk as everyone stared at the silver-haired boy. (You know, Ryou/Bakura's hair changes so much. Depending on the lighting, it can be lavender, silver, light blue, white, I believe I've even seen it looking slightly pink!)  
  
Ryou stared at Bakura as he wrote down the song number, handed it to the woman, told her to put it on a different CD -'Whatever that is,' Bakura thought-, and handed her the money. He then went inside the singing room.  
  
"I didn't know Bakura-kun could sing..." Ryou mumbled, mostly to himself.  
  
Bakura smiled as he began to sing the song, thinking of his hikari. (Is it just me, or is this chapter getting boring? Don't worry, something funny is coming up, an idea conjured up by my friend, who didn't even know which couples I was using in here.)  
  
As he sang, Bakura found himself pouring all of his pent-up emotions into the song.  
  
"Baby.please try to forgive me.  
  
Stay here, don't put out the glow.  
  
Hold me now? Don't bother,  
  
If every minute it makes me weaker,  
  
You can save me from the man that I've become.  
  
Oh yeah...  
  
Lookin' back on the things I've done,  
  
I was trying to be someone,  
  
Play my part, kept you in the dark...  
  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart.  
  
  
  
Sadness is beautiful,  
  
Loneliness is tragical.  
  
So, help me...I can't win this war. Oh, no...  
  
Touch me now? Don't bother,  
  
If every second it makes me weaker.  
  
You can save me from the man I've become.  
  
Lookin' back on the things I've done,  
  
I was trying to be someone,  
  
Play my part, kept you in the dark...  
  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart.  
  
  
  
I'm here with my confession.  
  
Got nothing to hide no more.  
  
I don't know where to start  
  
But to show you the shape of my heart.  
  
  
  
I'm looking back on things I've done.  
  
I never wanna play the same old part,  
  
Keep you in the dark,  
  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart...  
  
Lookin' back on the things I've done,  
  
I was trying to be someone,  
  
Play my part, kept you in the dark...  
  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart.  
  
Lookin' back on the things I've done,  
  
I was trying to be someone,  
  
Play my part, kept you in the dark...  
  
Now let me show you the shape of my heart...  
  
  
  
Show you the shape of my heart......"  
  
Bakura was astonished to find a tear had made its way out of his eye and dropped on his hand. He hastily wiped it away, along with the wet trail left on his cheek, before the door opened. Ryou all but flew outside to await Bakura's song. Bakura chuckled, shaking his head at his aibou's antics, and walked calmly out of the building. Ryou's eyes went wide as he listened to the lyrics. Everybody else, except Yugi's grandfather, seemed to be getting the same impression, all of their eyes getting bigger. Yami was the only one not surprised. He just merely gave a soft smile, and clapped Bakura on the back companionably.  
  
"Your voice got pretty emotional there," he teased. Bakura shot him a nasty glare, accompanied with his old sneer.  
  
"Urusei, Pharaoh," he snarled. Yami's eyes flashed.  
  
"Careful. It seems you're picking up on old habits again."  
  
Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Old habits die hard," he commented flatly. "My favorite hobby just happens to be annoying you."  
  
Yami knew he was just agitated about waiting for Ryou's response to the song, so he sighed, shaking his head, and went back into the building. Once everyone had gone inside except for Ryou and Bakura, Ryou looked up at his yami, tears brimming in his eyes.  
  
"Arigatou," he whispered before giving his darker half an enormous hug. Bakura smiled, and hugged him back lightly.  
  
"Come on, aibou, you have a song to sing."  
  
Ryou grinned up at him in an odd, mischievous way. "That I do."  
  
Ryou went into the building to sing, but Bakura stayed outside, wrapped in his thoughts.  
  
==========================================================  
  
"Irresistible..." Ryou crooned into the microphone as his song began. He thought of Bakura, and a smile tugged at his lips as he sang.  
  
"You know I don't know what it is,  
  
But everything about you is so irresistible...  
  
Don't you try and tell me that he's not my type,  
  
To hide what I feel inside,  
  
When he makes me weak with desire.  
  
I know that I'm supposed to make him wait,  
  
Let him think I like the chase, but I can't  
  
Stop fanning the fire.  
  
I know I meant to say no...  
  
But he's irresistible,  
  
Up close and personal,  
  
Now inescapable,  
  
I can hardly breathe...  
  
More than just physical,  
  
Deeper than spiritual...  
  
His ways are powerful-  
  
Irresistible to me... (ohhh, I can hardly breathe, yeah, yeah)  
  
Don't you think I'm trying to tell my heart what's right,  
  
That I should really say goodnight?  
  
But I just can't stop myself from falling (falling)...  
  
Maybe I'll tell him that I feel the same,  
  
That I don't want to play no game (no)...  
  
'Cause when I feel his arms wrapped around me,  
  
I know I meant to say no (I meant to say no)...  
  
  
  
But he's irresistible (irresistible)  
  
Up close and personal,  
  
Now inescapable,  
  
I can hardly breathe (I can hardly breathe)...  
  
More than just physical,  
  
Deeper than spiritual (oh yeah)...  
  
His ways are powerful-  
  
Irresistible to me...  
  
  
  
Can't you see, whenever he's close to me,  
  
I really find it hard to breathe...  
  
He's so irresistible...  
  
Baby, you know it's more than just spiritual,  
  
His kisses are powerful...  
  
  
  
He's so irresistible (he's so irresistible)  
  
Up close and personal, (oh yeah)  
  
Now inescapable,  
  
I can hardly breathe (I can hardly breath)...  
  
More than just physical, (oh yeah)  
  
Deeper than spiritual...  
  
His ways are powerful-  
  
Irresistible to me...  
  
  
  
He's irresistible,  
  
Up close and personal, (yeah)  
  
Now inescapable,  
  
I can hardly breathe... (irresistible to me)  
  
More than just physical,  
  
Deeper than spiritual...  
  
His ways are powerful-  
  
Irresistible to me..."  
  
Ryou, liking to end a song his own way, raised his voice extremely high on the last part. He heard a distinct crack, and then, to his horror, the opaque glass panes broke from the pitch of his voice. (*giggles madly*)  
  
He paused, his face a deep crimson as the panes fell to the ground. The noise attracted Bakura from outside, and when Bakura saw what Ryou had done, he tried vainly to suppress his smile.  
  
"Oops?" Ryou muttered. The woman stared, as if in shock. Yugi's grandfather chuckled.  
  
"I'll pay for the new windows, Miss."  
  
She nodded, took the money he handed her, gave them their CDs, and then hastily bolted herself up in her office. Ryou felt his face burn as he was led outside.  
  
"Dang, Ryou, you really can go high," Jounouchi teased.  
  
"Oh, come on, you guys, give him a break," Yugi stood up for the boy.  
  
"Hey, we never got to hear Ryou's song," Honda suddenly declared. Ryou face flushed with embarrassment.  
  
"W-We don't have to..."  
  
"Of course we do!" Yugi replied. Ryou grumbled until they all went to ride more roller coasters and then went home. In the truck, everyone tried to get Ryou to give them the CD so they could hear him sing, but he refused firmly, and held it close. Bakura watched with growing interest. Why would his hikari be hiding something he sang from them? They were all friends here.  
  
Well, sorta.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: YES!! I'm FINALLY done! Hrm...*frowns* No cliffhanger this time. You all better thank me for giving you mercy! A cliffhanger is coming up in the next chapter, so beware! BWUAHAHAHAHAH!!!  
  
Ryou: *cowers in the corner, holding his CD close* Don't you dare make me play it for them.  
  
Author: *grins evilly* Don't worry, I won't. *mutters under breath* Yet.  
  
Bakura: What was that?  
  
Author: *sweet, innocent look that convinces absolutely no one* Nothing.  
  
Yugi: Anyway, be prepared to expect confessions,  
  
Yami: And heartbreak,  
  
Yami and Yugi together: In the next chapter!  
  
Author: *stares* Yugi, how many commercials have you been letting Yami watch?  
  
Yugi: ^____^;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Not too much...  
  
Author: *facevaults* 


	5. Confessions and Heartbreak

Author's Notes: Well, managed to complete the fifth chapter! Wai! Once again, this is a Yami x Yugi and Ryou x Bakura/Yami Bakura pairing story. And, once again, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters.  
  
Minna/Everyone: *gasp*  
  
Ryou: D-Did she...  
  
Yugi: ...just...  
  
Yami: ...say the...  
  
Bakura: ...disclaimer?!  
  
Author: *blinks* I did, didn't I? *all of YGO cast faints* HEY, BAKAS, GET UP, WE HAVE A STORY TO DO! *blinks suddenly* Hey, that reminds me...in my second chapter (or third, can't remember and am too lazy to go look) I had Bakura call Ryou 'baka'. Did anyone not know what that meant and were afraid to say so? Well, if any were, it means either stupid or idiot, depending on how it's used in the sentence. If anyone has any other words in this fic they do not understand, please e-mail me at cassie_the_dragonlady@yahoo.com okay?  
  
Oh, and, by the way, this will be a happy chapter at first, but then it will get sad. You might even see a change of heart in Bakura.  
  
Yuumei: Oh, does that mean you're going to need me in the story again?  
  
Author: ^^; Maybe.  
  
Yuumei: YAY! *jumps around gleefully*  
  
Author: *to no one in particular* Didn't I just say 'maybe'? As in not yes, but not no either? Now then, on to the review answers! *clicks on the reviews button* HOLY MOSES!!! *shoots back in her chair and falls on the ground, making loud clattering noises*  
  
Yugi: *head appears around the doorway corner* Um, you ok?  
  
Author: *wheeze* fine, perfectly...fine... *cough* *hack*  
  
Yami: *appears above Yugi's head, followed by Ryou and Bakura* How many reviews?  
  
Author: *breathless* I was only gone a month, and...and...  
  
Bakura: *rolls eyes* SPIT IT OUT!  
  
Author: 44!  
  
*sounds of YGO cast falling/tumbling down the stairs*  
  
Author: *cough* Well, anyway, on to the answers...  
  
Me- Ooooo, really? *glares at website I got the list of Japanese words off of* I guess that would make sense, considering "Yumemiru" means "To dream of". Nice info there!! ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!! *looks at Yuumei* I think we'll keep your name the way it is. It looks cool. ^^  
  
Bakura: *coughcoughlazycoughcough*  
  
Author: *eyebrow is twitching* *flatly* Next...  
  
Wildwolf- Don't worry. You get both of your wishes, AND you're right about my plot change! BWUAHAHAHAH!  
  
Cylestial Warrior- WAI!! Thank you soooooo much!  
  
KawaiiBlackMoon- *blushes a shade of crimson not previously known to humanity* Um...actually, I don't really know what my IQ is. I'm certainly not a genius. I just inherited good writing skills from my mommy!! ^_^ She rules. She's coming out with a novel soon, called Evurmor! *glares around* And don't anyone steal the name. She doesn't know about my liking for the YGO pairings. Oh well. Maybe I'll tell her...someday...  
  
Majin Pluto- Aha, you wanna test that theory? Oh, do I have another Xelloss fan here? :) :) :)  
  
Chisa and Neko- Um, wow. *blinks* Glad you liked it. LOTR RULES!!!! *grumbles* Guess what? There's a petition going around online to change the name The Two Towers just cause of Sept. 11. I think they need to get a grip. Who's with me?!  
  
Bakura: *sweatdrops* I think YOU need to get a grip.  
  
Author: *glares*  
  
Blue diamond- Really? *lol* Thought a few people would like that leather thing! No, you don't sound like a suck-up! I rather like your comments! It shows what you liked and didn't like! Yes, actually, the apron WAS pink and frilly! AHAHAHAH!!  
  
Vampire Huntress D- *giggles* Wow, glad you liked it!  
  
Chisa and Neko- Again? Aha, another lemon supporter. Lessee...that now brings it up to about 3, I think. Am I wrong?  
  
K-chan- Ooooo, not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all. *grabs a pen and paper and begins writing ideas* *peers up at comp* *to self* Okay, that was stupid. I could have just typed that...  
  
Oceana- Another lemon-wanter. Hmm. That's 4. I just might have to do a lemon. Don't worry, Yami and Yugi get brave in this chappie.  
  
The Sadistic Cow- Moooooooo!!!! *LOL* Sorry, me and my friend, who came to Florida with me, (who, by the way, came up with the idea for the Ryou- breaking-glass-with-his-voice thing) made me so friggin silly we started mooing at strangers. It was really funny because we made it sound like a dying cow. LOL! I wish I could've recorded it. This one little kid screamed and ran away. HA! *ahem* Um, yeah, on to the answers. Glad you like Bakura's new personality. Oh, nice comments to Grr. Very nice.  
  
Raiegki Leviathan- I think I will delete it. ^_^  
  
Blackitten-chan- Aww, really? *sniffles* I'm touched. I'm glad so many peoples like my fic that I just started on a whim. It just started by me getting a wild hair after watching Resident Evil. *laughs* I thought the first chappie was horrible, especially when I couldn't think of a way to continue it. Then, boom, I started getting interested in Ryou + Bakura slash pairings, and I'm like "hmmmm". I whip out Soulmates again and start typing! And now I have 44 reviews! WHOOHOOO!!  
  
Kel-chan- *busts out laughing and rolls on floor for a while* Whooo...*wipes away a tear* That was funny. I so wish Grr would come back and read this. I would love to see his face.  
  
Fichan- As in Filia-chan? I hope so, that means I have another Slayers otaku who likes my stories! Anywhos, glad ya liked it, and I'll be back Sept. 16! *grumbles* Though this chappie technically isn't released on FF.Net till Sept. 17th...  
  
Wildwolf- (AGAIN?!) *winces* Ick...that sucks... Oooo, yay! Another FY fan! WAI!  
  
Blue diamond- Heehee. Glad you like the pairing, and glad you're in suspense! It makes the chappie all that more good when ya read it after waiting FOREVER for it!!  
  
Sarina Fannel- *grinz* Well, thanks a bunch! That really cheers me up and inspires me to hear that people like this so much! ^.^  
  
Bunny- Dun worry, you get your wish(es)!  
  
Lady Geuna- *blushes just like Syaoran from Card Captor Sakura* Wow...glad you like that. I'm sure you'll LOVE my plot change EVEN MORE! ^.^ Tee hee!  
  
Author: And, now, before the story, we must have...a COMMERCIAL BREAK! (P.S.- I got the idea for this by a similar commercial done with the Gundam Wing characters. I was rolling on the floor with laughter when I read that. Just remember that I only came up with a few parts of this)  
  
~*all of the male YGO cast are sitting in Yugi's living room, watching a duel on TV*  
  
Yami: Pegasus, your hair looks and smells like shit.  
  
Bakura: Yeah, you pussy, go wash your damn hair.  
  
Pegasus: *in a gay voice* Okay, you guys, just leave me alone. *he gets up and prances into Yugi's bathroom* *He grabs some shampoo labeled 'Dark Magician Miracle Spell Shampoo' and squirts some on his hair*  
  
*moments later, Pegasus busts out of the bathroom, and begins to sing*  
  
Pegasus: I've got the urge!  
  
Yami, Yugi, and Kaiba: *jump up and dance around, singing in deep voices* He's got the urge!  
  
*they keep on singing and dancing*  
  
Bakura: *eyebrow begins to twitch* Can't take much more...  
  
*the Millennium Ring begins to glow, and everyone is sucked up into it, transformed into their favorite cards*  
  
Bakura: *sighs in relief* That's better...  
  
Ryou: *comes into the room* *blink* Hey, where'd everybody go?  
  
Bakura: Eh... *sweatdrop* Sore wa himitsu desu...  
  
Author: Well, now that that's over, it's time for me to get on with the story! WARNING!! Since some reviewers wanted a lemon, THIS CHAPTER WILL BE NC-17!!!! *Hears some "YAY!"'s and sweatdrops* Well, um, anou...okay...here it is...  
  
  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Five: Confessions and Heartbreak  
  
"Hey, Yugi?"  
  
Yugi looked up groggily from his breakfast. At least, that's what the one part of his mind that was awake told him it was. "Hai, Yami-kun?"  
  
"Who were you meaning when you sang that song yesterday?"  
  
Yugi swallowed his mouthful of food. "You, of course. It wasn't obvious?"  
  
Yami blushed a slight pink color. "Just making sure."  
  
Yugi giggled. "Oo, Yami's blushing, Yami's blushing," he teased in a sing-song voice. Yami's blush deepened.  
  
"So, who was your song meant for?" Yugi asked, genuinely curious. Yami stuttered for a moment, his crimson face turning a bright rose color.  
  
'Should I?' he thought breathlessly for a moment. He watched Yugi's confused face for a moment before giving in to temptation. He leaned down, and placed his mouth on his hikari's, reveling in the softness of his aibou's lips. He pulled away after a moment.  
  
"You, little one, my koishii tenshi," Yami answered tenderly with a small smile. Yugi stared at him, wide-eyed. Yugi opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. Yami's face fell.  
  
"You don't return my feelings..." he summed up sullenly. Yugi blanched.  
  
"No, of course I do! I just...didn't think you returned my feelings..." Yugi breathed, smiling widely. He leaped into Yami's arms, burying his head into the hollow of Yami's neck. Yami, tears sparking at his eyes, wrapped his arms tightly around his aibou...his koi. (Koibito means love. 'Koishii tenshi' means 'Beloved angel')  
  
"Ashiteru..." Yami whispered, nuzzling the smaller boy's tri-colored hair.  
  
"And I love you, Yami," Yugi murmured. (*CUE* Minna: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...)  
  
(A few minutes later)  
  
"You're sure?" Yami questioned softly. "You don't have to. Besides, it might hurt..."  
  
Yugi smiled up at him. "I don't care. I trust you, Yami-chan."  
  
Yami swallowed with the responsibility he felt at those words, and seriously considering not going through with this so as not to hurt the smaller boy. But Yugi, surprisingly, was the one to begin. He stood up slightly on tiptoe, and kissed Yami fully. Yami temporarily murdered his brain and succumbed to just doing instead of thinking. Thinking got him nowhere.  
  
Yami wrapped his arms about his aibou, lifted him up, and gently laid him down on the bed. Yami laid down next to him, and resumed their kiss. Yugi opened his mouth to the taller boy, inviting him in. Yami accepted, and his tongue fully explored his hikari's mouth. Yugi hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively touched Yami's tongue with the curiosity of a newborn kitten. Yami's tongue caressed his own, and before they knew it, they were having a small war. Eventually, they had to breathe, and they drew away from each other, breathing heavily. Yami smiled warmly at his lover, and edged closer. His eyes held an odd look foreign to Yugi, dark and mischievous in a way, yet also gentle and comforting. (Whoever the first person to guess correctly what the look was I will dedicate the chapter after next to!)  
  
"Ready to go farther?" Yami inquired huskily.  
  
"There's more?" Yugi breathed, still dazed by the feeling of Yami's lips on his own, his aibou's hot and wet tongue exploring his mouth.  
  
"Oh, much, much more," Yami crooned.  
  
(If ya wanna read the full bout of what happened between them, go to my Yahoo group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dragon_mistress_cassies_fanfiction/)  
  
Ryou whistled as he walked along through the park, and at the corner of his eyes, realized with horror that he was being followed. He swerved around really quickly, and noticed that there was no one in sight. Ryou bit his lip, wondering if he had just imagined it, turned around, and began to walk swiftly away. He reached a clearing with a bench in it, and to his surprise, a girl he knew from school was sitting there.  
  
"Hey, Naomi-chan!" Ryou called, smiling cheerily. "Mind if I have a seat?"  
  
"Not at all," Naomi replied in an odd way that puzzled Ryou.  
  
"Naomi-chan? Daijobu ka?" Ryou inquired worriedly. Naomi sighed.  
  
"There's this guy I like- a LOT. I've known him for about a year now, and I still like him. He's kinda shy, so I don't know if he likes me back, and he doesn't have very many friends, so I can't ask them."  
  
Before Ryou could figure out why it sounded so familiar, he asked who Naomi liked.  
  
She turned to stare at him for a moment, and then kissed him.  
  
Ryou froze, numb with shock.  
  
(Nearby...)  
  
Bakura felt his throat clench painfully, and he made fists so hard that the fingernails digging into his palms drew blood. He forced the tears not to fall as he saw Ryou be kissed by a girl Bakura knew Ryou had known for a long time now. Ryou wasn't fighting back, so it was obvious that Bakura had no place in Ryou's heart.  
  
With that depressing thought, Bakura turned to make his way slowly back to the house he and his aibou shared.  
  
(Back in the clearing...)  
  
Ryou pulled away from Naomi, his eyes wide. He sighed after a while of silence.  
  
"Naomi-chan, my heart belongs to someone else. It has for a long time now. I am truly sorry."  
  
Ryou watched, helpless, as Naomi's eyes filled with tears, and she fled from the clearing.  
  
"I'm sorry," Ryou whispered, more to himself than anything. "But my heart belongs to Bakura..."  
  
Ryou left the clearing after a while of just sitting there and thinking, and made his way back home. He opened the door, stepped inside, and froze. Goosebumps raised up on his arms and the back of his neck. The house was like an ice cube.  
  
In horror, Ryou remembered that his house was just as cold as it had been when Bakura was still abusive. The house had lost his coldness ever since that day in the park with Yami.  
  
And now that it was back, that could only mean one thing...  
  
Ryou slowly backed up towards the door, and he nudged up against something soft. He paled, and whirled around. He forced a cheery smile onto his face.  
  
"Tadaima, Bakura-kun!"  
  
Bakura gave a wicked sneer, and stretched out the whip he held, glaring down at the owner of the Millennium Ring.  
  
"Okaeri," he snarled, his eyes glinting evilly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-  
  
*is whacked with Filia's mace-sama* *falls to the ground*  
  
Bakura: *flames in eyes as he holds the almighty mace-sama* How dare you change me back!!  
  
Ryou: Yeah!  
  
Author: *on floor* @_@ I warned you, didn't I? *faints* X_X  
  
Yugi: *nuzzling up against Yami, not a care in the world*  
  
Yami: ^.^;; The Dragon Mistress does not own any characters in here except for Yuumei (Change of Heart), Mikomi (Lady of Faith), and Naomi. Have fun with the next chappie! Also, since Dragon Mistress forgot the number 1 rule and gave her phone number out to a friend on the net, and they called and her parents found out, she will not be able to get back on the Net except to post these chappies. The reason for that is her mother is a writer. 


	6. The Discovery

Author's Notes: Heheh...did I make you all wait long enough for this chapter or should I draw it out longer? *hears many screams of "NO!" and cackles madly* Well, anywhos... *coughs purposefully*  
  
Bakura: *Death Glare* After the torture you're putting me and Ryou through, you expect me to cooperate?!?!  
  
Author: *grins evilly, flashes contract, and then mace-sama, along with a piece of paper containing other torture ideas if aforementioned albino boys don't cooperate*  
  
Bakura and Ryou: *hastily* Dragon Mistress doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters!!!  
  
Yami: *quietly to Yugi* Though that doesn't stop her from writing stories about us or torturing Bakura-kun and Ryou-kun, ne?  
  
Yugi: *sweatdrops*  
  
  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Six: The Discovery  
  
Yugi hummed cheerfully as he dialed Ryou and Bakura's house on his phone, thinking about how much fun it would be at the sleepover he was holding tonight. Yugi frowned in puzzlement as the phone rang four times, and was just about to hang up when Ryou's voice came over the phone with a tired-sounding greeting.  
  
"Ryou-kun?? Daijobu ka?" Yugi inquired worriedly. There was a pause.  
  
"Oh...yeah...I'm...fine...nothing to worry about. I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry about me. Whatcha calling for?"  
  
Yugi gave Yami an extremely puzzled and worried expression, which Yami returned with one of confusion. Yami moved closer to Yugi so he could hear the phone easily.  
  
"Eto...I was gonna hold a sleepover party tonight. Jou, Honda, and Anzu are all gonna be here, along with me and Yami, of course. Can you and Bakura come?"  
  
"Oh...uh...gomen nasai, Yugi-kun...I, er, I don't feel good. Bakura doesn't want me going anywhere, or I might catch more bugs. I must be catching that flu that's going around the school, ne?"  
  
An odd, forced laugh followed that sentence.  
  
"Oh...alright. That's too bad...well, maybe next time, ne?"  
  
"Yeah......sure...that'd be...great...ja ne..."  
  
"Ja..."  
  
Yugi hung up the phone, worry in every crease of his face. Yami encircled him in a gentle hug.  
  
"What's wrong, koi?"  
  
"Ryou-kun doesn't sound sick. If anything, he sounded scared..."  
  
Yami frowned in thought. The same thought struck both of them at precisely the same time, and their eyes shot wide open.  
  
"Bakura!!"  
  
Once everyone had arrived at the party, Yami and Yugi hastily explained that they were gonna pay Ryou a visit cause he said he was sick. They all paused for a moment, thinking, as the two tri-colored-haired boys pushed them out the door, and then it hit them. Well, Jounouchi to be precise.  
  
"No way!!" Jou shrieked. "How do you suppose that happened?!"  
  
"My guess," Yami concluded darkly. "Is that Bakura thought Ryou betrayed him in some way..."  
  
"Well, wait are we waiting for?" Yugi inquired anxiously, worried about his friend. Everyone began to run towards Ryou/Bakura's house, praying that they wouldn't be too late.  
  
(Yes, I know you all are DYING to know what happens, but I'm gonna drag it out a bit- MWUAHAHAH!)  
  
(At Ryou's house)  
  
Ryou sighed as he hung up with Yugi, and then glanced at himself in the mirror. He felt tears build up in his eyes as he saw his hideously damaged reflection, and he finally lost control, grabbed the nearest object, and threw it at the mirror. The mirror broke, shards raining down onto the carpeted floor. Ryou hugged his knees to his chest, sobbing.  
  
"What did I do?" he moaned to no one in particular, rocking back in forth. "What did I do to make him turn back?"  
  
He clutched at himself, hoping for comfort but finding none.  
  
Hours later found him still in that same position, the tears long gone but still at the ready. The doorbell rang, and Ryou cringed. He certainly couldn't go to the door looking like this. With his luck, it was probably Yugi and Yami, coming to wish him well.  
  
He cursed. At times like this, having friends was not a good thing.  
  
"Aren't you gonna answer the door?" a deep voice came from behind him, and Ryou stiffened in horror.  
  
"N-N-No..."  
  
Ryou cried out as Bakura's fist connected with one of his already wounded shoulders. He sobbed once, forcing the tears back.  
  
"Never say no to me! Now go get the damned door!!"  
  
Ryou leaped to his feet, stumbled down the stairs, and arrived at the front door, wiping tears from his eyes. He tried to gather his dignity -what was left of it- as much as he could, and then opened the door.  
  
He froze in horror.  
  
(DUN, DUN, DUN, DUN!!!)  
  
Ryou stared at his friends, and they stared back at him. Ryou didn't know how long. At the back of his mind, he could feel something beginning. A building up of power, that was steadily growing larger and larger until it would burst.  
  
And then it exploded.  
  
"BAKURA!! Where the fuck are you?!?! I'm gonna kill you with my bare hands!!" Yami shrieked, brushing past Ryou and tearing up the stairs. Yugi gave Ryou a gentle hug.  
  
"I'm so sorry this happened," Yugi whispered. Ryou tentatively put a hand on Yugi's back, patting it slightly.  
  
"Me too..." Ryou murmured softly. "I don't know what I did. I just went to the park, spoke with Naomi, came home, and found Bakura-"  
  
Ryou's color drained as none other than his other half came flying down the stairs. Literally. Yami stood at the top of the stairs, obviously having kicked Bakura so that the boy would fly, and then hit the wall. A sickening crunch echoed in Ryou's home, and everyone minus Yami winced at the sound. Bakura slumped to the ground, coughing up blood.  
  
"You don't understand," he snarled hoarsely. "This is between me and Ryou..."  
  
"You're wrong, Bakura! The moment you landed the first blow to Ryou I was instantly involved!! And once again, I shall keep you from hurting my friend!"  
  
Yami extended his hand, and the Millennium Eye glowed on his forehead. Ryou, thinking Yami was going to send Bakura's soul to the Shadow Realm forever, shrieked, "NO!", and leapt.  
  
"Yami-chan, stop!!" Yugi cried out in dismay, but it was too late. The energy enveloped Ryou and Bakura, and they both disappeared. There was silence. Yami sighed in relief.  
  
"Thanks, Ryou-kun. That was just what I was counting on. Oh, don't worry, everyone, I didn't send them to the Shadow Realm. I sent them to the Realm of Mochidzuki." (Mochidzuki means 'Full Moon'. It had a nice ring to it, so I put it in here)  
  
"What's that?" Jounouchi questioned curiously.  
  
"The Realm of Mochidzuki is a place where two people, hikari and yami, test their love for each other. If something goes terribly wrong in their life in this world, then the nearest yami of any Millennium Item has a duty to send them to that realm to work things out and to be judged."  
  
"But...who's the judge?" Anzu inquired. Yami smiled briefly, and held up a card. He turned it around, and a woman with smooth skin and elegant red hair was revealed to be on the front.  
  
"No way!" Yugi cried as Yami came down the stairs so they could all see the card. "The Judge is a Duel Monsters card?!"  
  
Yami nodded. "The Empress Judge, to be exact."  
  
"Can't we go there and watch what happens?" Honda demanded impatiently, not one to sit around waiting, not knowing what's going to happen. Yami chuckled, and the energy enveloped them all. They disappeared.  
  
(Want me to end it here? *cackles as screams of no follow that question* Maybe I should...heheheheheheh. *looks at Word Count* Oh, phooey. I promised myself I would always have a chapter that is more than 2,500 words in this story. Dang! I can't end it here! *hears cries of happiness and grumbles*)  
  
Ryou looked around. "Where are we?"  
  
"I don't give a fuck so long as I get my hands on that damn Pharaoh..." Bakura snarled, moving testily, realizing that his rib wound dealt by Yami was healed. Ryou happened to notice that he was free of cuts, whip marks, bruises, and fractures, and kept quiet, not wanting to alert his yami to that fact lest his yami feel it necessary to give him back those aforementioned wounds.  
  
"Uh...Bakura?"  
  
"WHAT?!" he snapped angrily. Ryou pointed, and Bakura followed his gaze.  
  
"What the fuck?!" he shouted, staring at the extremely large pyramid in the distance, surrounded by an oasis. (*snorts* Totally stole this from 'The Mummy Returns')  
  
"How do we get out of here?" Ryou wondered, looking around at the desert they stood upon.  
  
"How the fuck should I know?!?!" Bakura demanded. "Just shut up or I'll give you back your wounds!"  
  
Ryou immediately quieted.  
  
"Do you wish to leave this place?" an ethereal voice inquired in their minds. Ryou jumped, startled. Bakura growled.  
  
"Yes...why?"  
  
"I can tell you how."  
  
"Then tell us."  
  
"May I ask you why you want to leave?"  
  
"Because I want to go home, dammit!"  
  
"What of the other one? Your hikari? Does he wish to leave?"  
  
"Of course he does."  
  
The gentle, calming voice immediately turned savage and all-powerful. (DUDE!! It's Galadriel!! AHAHAHAH!)  
  
"WAS I ASKING YOU?!" It demanded, thunder rolling across the empty sky like a tidal wave. Ryou cringed in fear, and even Bakura flinched. The voice immediately turned gentle.  
  
"I am sorry if I scared you, little one. Your name is Ryou, correct?"  
  
"H-H-Hai..."  
  
"You need not fear me. I will not harm either of you...unless, of course, you give me a reason to. Well now, Ryou-chan, do you wish to leave here?"  
  
Ryou trembled. "Yes...and no..."  
  
"Why the indecision?"  
  
Ryou glanced worriedly at his yami, who was mumbling angrily to himself, staring at the distant pyramid. Bakura felt Ryou's eyes on him, and glared at the boy, mouthing, "You better say you want to leave or I'll kill you."  
  
"Ah, I see..." the ethereal voice murmured. "You fear him. You wish to return to your own time but are afraid of what he might do to you."  
  
It was not a question. Ryou hesitantly nodded, uncomfortably aware that the voice could somehow see their movements. How else would she have known of Ryou's fearful gaze on Bakura?  
  
"Well, then, I shall help both of you. In order to leave this place you must travel to the pyramid you see before you. The pyramid is called Mochidzuki. Once you have arrived at Mochidzuki, I will tell you what you must do next. Oh, and beware of the path to Mochidzuki. The pyramid's guardians might not like one of you, but I will not say which. Until you reach the pyramid, then."  
  
The voice disappeared from their minds, and Bakura let forth a string of Egyptian curses.  
  
======  
  
Jounouchi and Honda snorted with derisive laughter at Bakura's antics. Yami and Yugi watched solemnly, both not in the mood for laughter. Yami had his arms draped lazily around Yugi so they would both feel more at ease. Anzu merely watched on in silence. She finally couldn't stand it.  
  
"Doragon-sama," Anzu began, "What did she mean by that?"  
  
The Blue Eyes White Dragon craned its large head around to peer majestically at her. "There are many things in the forest surrounding Mochizuki-sama. Some don't like humans. Especially those that were once humans themselves."  
  
Everyone shivered at that comment.  
  
======  
  
"Get up!" Bakura commanded once he was done expressing himself. Ryou submissively stood, and began to follow his yami doggedly. After a long time of walking, he finally couldn't stand the silence, and began to hum a song he had recently become attached to, for obvious reasons once you listened to the lyrics.  
  
Bakura stopped.  
  
"What are you doing?!"  
  
Ryou looked up, startled, as he almost bumped into the slightly taller albino boy. "J-Just humming..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"B-Because...I like to sing...and I don't like silence..."  
  
Bakura huffed, and turned around, continuing to walk. "Do whatever you want."  
  
Ryou smiled softly, knowing that this was Bakura's way of showing he wanted to hear Ryou sing. Ryou began to hum the opening melody, and then began to sing.  
  
"Sometimes I feel  
  
I've got to run away,  
  
I've got to get away  
  
From the pain you drive in the heart of me.  
  
The love we share  
  
Seems to go nowhere,  
  
And I've lost my light,  
  
For I toss and turn and can't sleep at night.  
  
Once I ran to you, (ah, baby)  
  
Now I'll run from you.  
  
This tainted love you've given-"  
  
"Sing something else!!" Bakura snapped, interrupting Ryou. Ryou frowned sulkily, but granted his yami's wish.  
  
Ryou couldn't have possibly known that Bakura had only said that because tears were now making their presence known to the yami as he realized once more that he was the cause of Ryou's pain.  
  
"Kaze ga yoseta kotoba ni  
  
oyoida kokoro  
  
kumo ga hakobu ashita ni  
  
hazunda koe  
  
tsuki ga yureru kagami ni  
  
furueta kokoro  
  
hoshi ga nagare koboreta  
  
yawarakai namida  
  
suteki da ne?  
  
futari te wo tori aruketa nara  
  
ikitai yo  
  
kimi no machi ie ude no naka  
  
sono mune  
  
karada azuke  
  
yoi ni magire  
  
yumemiru  
  
kaze wa tomari kotoba wa  
  
yasashii maboroshi  
  
kumo wa yabure ashita wa  
  
tooku no koe  
  
tsuki ga nijimu kagami wo  
  
nagareta kokoro  
  
hoshi ga yurete koboreta  
  
kakusenai namida  
  
suteki da ne?  
  
futari te wo tori aruketa nara  
  
ikitai yo  
  
kimi no machi ie ude no naka  
  
sono kao  
  
sotto furete  
  
asa ni tokeru  
  
yumemiru..."  
  
Bakura hastily wiped his eyes as Ryou finished the song, and made himself remember the anger in his heart at seeing Ryou with Naomi.  
  
======  
  
Everyone looked at each other.  
  
"Did I see...what I thought I just saw? Was Bakura-kun crying?"  
  
But neither Yami nor Yugi were listening. They were puzzling over what could possibly be the reason behind Bakura's sudden change of heart. Yuumei appeared on top of Doragon's head, gave the dragon a cheerful greeting, and then questioned why everyone was here. Everyone merely pointed at the two albino boys below. Yuumei followed everyone's gaze and frowned.  
  
A sigh escaped her lips. "I wondered how long it would last..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Yugi immediately questioned. Yuumei sulked.  
  
"The way I was made, I can change someone's heart, like Bakura, but, afterwards, it only lasts for a short period of time. Could be a day, could be a few days, could be a week or a month or even a whole year. Hell, it could be a decade. But, eventually, something would happen that would hurt the one I changed and their heart would change of its own will. And then, the two people considered are tested."  
  
"You mean you knew all along that this would happen?!" Anzu shouted indignantly. Yuumei hung her head.  
  
"It's not my fault I'm like this," she sniffled, "I was just trying to make things better for them...I forgot about the consequence...I was just trying to help..."  
  
"Anzu-chan, calm down," Yami interjected calmly. "You know as well as any of us that Yuumei-san was only trying to help. I am sure Ryou-kun and Bakura-kun will make it through alright. It's what caused this that I don't understand..."  
  
Yuumei instantly perked up. "Well at least that's something I can help with without anything bad happening afterwards! You see, while Ryou was in the park, he sat down next to that girl -what was it? Oh yes, Naomi- and it so happened that Bakura was watching. He had been hoping to catch Ryou off guard and finally confess his love. However, Naomi apparently had the same idea."  
  
"No fucking way!" Honda exclaimed.  
  
"Naomi likes him?!" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"Well, it would explain why she follows him around all day," Anzu commented.  
  
"Yup!" Yuumei went on cheerily. "Well, Bakura saw her kiss Ryou, and thought that Ryou had betrayed him. It's all a simple misunderstanding. But, indeed, minor misunderstandings can sometimes lead to wars, so this right now is no surprise."  
  
"Minna," Doragon suddenly announced in his bellowing voice, diverting their attention back to the two people down below.  
  
======  
  
They had finally entered the forest. Ryou, suddenly afraid, crept closer to his yami unknowingly, looking around in fear. Bakura scowled for a little while, and then found himself enjoying his hikari so close. A flashback of Naomi and his hikari kissing made him push Ryou back a little.  
  
"Quit crowding me, you weakling!" Bakura commanded angrily, then turned and pressed onward. Ryou sadly trotted along behind the ancient spirit, and was so wrapped in his thoughts that he didn't even realize that something had grabbed him from behind until he felt himself lifted from the ground and being carried away.  
  
"BAKURA!!" he screamed upon reflex, forgetting that his yami probably didn't care shit about him.  
  
Bakura whirled around, panicking as soon as he noticed that his hikari was gone. (So much for not caring, ne?)  
  
"RYOU!" he called back, searching frantically for the boy. He heard some inhuman screeching coming from the direction the voice had come from, and he pressed on in that direction, running as fast as his legs would carry him. He emerged into a clearing after a minute of running, and nearly fell into the fire pit that Ryou was dangling precariously over.  
  
"What the fuck?!" Bakura exclaimed as soon as he saw his hikari's kidnappers. They looked like humans that had been tortured until they became something dark and hideous. They had four legs, a gaping mouth like an open wound, blood red eyes, a scorpion's tail, and clawed arms that greatly resembled a Harpie Lady. Bakura grimaced in disgust for a moment before realizing that the old rope keeping Ryou from falling into the fire pit was quickly burning up. With a war cry even he did not understand, he leapt at the creatures, striking at them with punches and kicks.  
  
He cried out in pain as one of the creatures' tails had pierced his left arm, the venom sinking into his bloodstream. He snarled like a wounded animal, and tore the creature apart by ripping off it's hand and using its own claws to shred its body apart. (Gruesome, ne? Well, that could be because I recently watched Resident Evil.)  
  
He snatched Ryou from his perch just as the rope disintegrated, and set the boy down on his feet. He began to turn and make his way back towards Mochidzuki when fire traveled through his bloodstream, making his limbs go numb. He cried out in pain, clutching his wounded arm, and collapsed to the ground in a tumble of limbs and clothing. Ryou rushed over to him, forced his hand away, and began to suck on the wound.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" Bakura hissed through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the pain. Ryou drew his mouth away -Bakura instantly missed it- and spit out some black liquid.  
  
"Sucking the poison out of the wound," was Ryou's simple answer before applying his mouth to the wound once again. Five more times of this repeated process, and then the Bakura could move again. Both boys lay where they were for a moment, resting.  
  
"Bakura?" Ryou began.  
  
"Yeah?" Bakura panted, forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to be mean.  
  
"Why did you save me?"  
  
Oh shit.  
  
Bakura paused for a moment, frantically searching for an explanation. He couldn't find one. After all, his hikari had betrayed him. So why was he still helping the boy?  
  
"I have to have someone here to help me," Bakura answered gruffly, standing and beginning to move in the direction of Mochidzuki once again.  
  
"Get up!" he commanded like a drill sergeant. "We're almost there."  
  
Ryou smiled softly for a second or two before standing and following his darker half.  
  
======  
  
"And so it begins," Yuumei intoned mysteriously, receiving a glare from everyone on Doragon's back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: HOW WAS IT!?!?!?!?! Was it worth the month-long wait?! Gomen nasai about my punishment! Also, I really regret saying this, cause it makes me look like a bad child or something, but I accidentally gave my phone number to an internet friend and they called. I made the mistake of telling my parents who was on the phone. SOOOOO...now I'm not gonna be able to get on the internet for a long time.  
  
BUT, WAIT, THERE'S MORE! I'll still be allowed to get on the Net in order to post my stories, mainly because my mommy is lenient, much more so than my father, and she's a writer, so she doesn't mind me getting on to post stories! WAI!  
  
Yuumei: Next chapter, we will have-  
  
Author: No, don't TELL them!  
  
Yuumei: B-B-B-B-B-B-BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT!!!!  
  
Author: *glare* No buts.  
  
Yuumei: *sniffles and flies into a corner to sulk*  
  
Author: You can announce the other news, however.  
  
Yuumei: *immediately perks up* YAY! Guess what, minna-chan? The Dragon Mistress has kindly added a short fic starring Ryou and Bakura to make up for the long wait of these two chapters! It's called PPR:KUT (as in Linkin Park's song Papercut, only from the CD REANIMATION). Go check it out! ^.^ Sadly, it's not a slash fic, however, if there are enough reviews, Dragon Mistress promises to make a sequel and turn that into a Ryou +Bakura slash!  
  
Also, check out Dragon Mistress's new chapter fic "Eyes On Me". It's a Yugi + Seto pairing, but it still should be interesting, coming from her! Go check it out!  
  
Author: *blinks* Er, Yuumei?  
  
Yuumei: Yup?  
  
Author: Where's Doragon?  
  
*Yuumei and Author both blink*  
  
Yuumei: Uh...I believe he went to go speak with Kaiba...  
  
Author: Go get him! I need him to go fetch the Protector of the Throne card and the... *Yuumei clamps a hand over author's mouth*  
  
Yuumei: Shhhhh!!! You're giving it away! 


	7. Pyramid of Mochidzuki

Author's Notes: Well, guess what? *coughs loudly for a while, and then continues in a nasal voice* I'm sick. *grumbles*  
  
Yami Cassie: Which is why you should be drinking lots and lots of fluid!  
  
Author: *good-natured glare* I already finished off the big huge jug of Gatorade. What more do you want?  
  
Yami Cassie: *pauses reflectively for a moment, ad then sends Ryou to go get something from downstairs*  
  
Author: *blink, blink* Nani?  
  
Y.C.: *smirks smugly as Ryou comes back up with a bowl of chicken noodle soup and sets it before author* You WILL eat!!!  
  
Author: *was already eating the soup before Yami C. began talking* *looks up innocently, showing her yami that she's been eating and has now stuffed her face so that she can't talk*  
  
Y.C.: *sighs, sweatdropping* I guess I'll be the one doing the disclaimer. My aibou doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. The only things she owns are Yuumei, Mikomi, Naomi, and some other original chars you'll see in this chapter. *gives sidelong look to author* You have 56 reviews now...want me to answer them...?  
  
Author: *eyes bug out* NONONONONONONONO- *begins coughing in the middle of shouting* I mean...NO, I'll do them.  
  
Y.C.: *chuckles*  
  
Author: *peers at screen* Wow...12 reviews in only one night. *sniffle* I feel so loved.  
  
AnimeQueen- Every day?!?!? *blushes worse than Yugi* Wow! I didn't realize this story was THAT good! ^.^ Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!  
  
Bakura: *begins gagging*  
  
Author: *Death Glare*  
  
AnimeQueen- Now then, before I was so RUDELY interrupted...I'm glad you liked my two chappies! This one will be even better! Maybe I'll let Bakura find out this chapter. Then again, maybe not... MWUAHAHAH!  
  
Y.C.: O_O Um...I thought I was supposed to be the Yami here...  
  
KawaiiBlackMoon- Heheh. That's okay. I haven't been going to school since this past Sunday. (Sunday is when I got sick) It was weird. I was perfectly fine the night before -especially cause my boyfriend said he loved me! Teehee- and then when I woke up the next morning, I was really sick! 100.8 temperature yesterday! I dare not see what my temperature today is...oh, my mom isn't done yet. She's gonna call the book Evurmur: The Secret In The Attic. By the way, it's pronounced Ever-more. Oh, and this is just between me, you, and the rest of my reviewers/readers. I dun want her to know I've been giving her secret away. (HA! Get it?! Secret in the Attic/giving her secret away? *silence* Yeah. Right. I can take a hint...)  
  
Sarina Fannel- Oh, don't worry. You know I don't torture Bakura for too long.  
  
Bakura: I plead the-  
  
Author: *'nother Death Glare*  
  
Akemi- I know! Teehee! When I first saw that episode where Yami Yugi banished Bakura to the Shadow Realm I was like NOOOOO!!!! When I saw him come back recently -and to protect his hikari, no less (heheh)- I was like WOOHOOO!!! *jumps around* Ugh...dizzy... @_@  
  
Y.C.: What did I tell you about moving around too fast?  
  
Author: *grumbles*  
  
Akemi- (continued) I didn't give the translation?!??!? Ah, shimatta! Oops...well, Akemi, here they are! This song is Suteki Da Ne from the video game Final Fantasy X! Akemi, you've gotta play that game! It's so awesome! But the ending was really sad...(which is why I wrote my own counter-ending- MWUAHAH!) By the way, this is just a direct translation:  
  
(My) heart is swimming in words  
  
formed by the wind.  
  
(My) voice carried  
  
by a cloudy tomorrow.  
  
A mirror moved  
  
by the moon, trembled my heart.  
  
Soft tears  
  
filled with a stream of stars.  
  
Isn't it beautiful?  
  
Two of us walking hand in hand.  
  
I want to go to  
  
your town, your home, your arms.  
  
I dream of lying  
  
against your chest.  
  
My body in your clasp,  
  
disappearing into the evening.  
  
Words stopped by the wind  
  
are a gentle illusion.  
  
A cloud-torned tomorrow is  
  
a far-away voice.  
  
My heart has been  
  
in a moon-blocked flowing mirror.  
  
Stars that swayed and flowed  
  
can't hide my tears.  
  
Isn't it beautiful?  
  
Two of us walking hand in hand.  
  
I want to go to  
  
your town, your home, your arms.  
  
I dream of your face  
  
that softly melts in the  
  
morning.  
  
*dreamy sigh* Now wasn't that just beautiful? No wonder Bakura-kun cried.  
  
Jen- Okay, Okay! ^_^  
  
Vampire Huntress D- Yep, I'm back! Even though I'm sick, nothing can keep me from writing for my fans! MWUAHAHAHAH!! *cough* yeah, um, anyways.  
  
Chisa and Neko- Where, where, where?!?!? ^.^ Oh, that reminds me! Guess what, Neko-chan?! Me'n my friends are gonna dress all in black and ride around on horses doing screechy noises on Halloween! We're gonna be the Nazgul!! WAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!  
  
Bakura: *glares at Yami Cassie* You let her have ice cream, didn't you?  
  
Y.C.: *sheepishly* It helps her sore throat...  
  
Bakura: Oh, dear Ra...  
  
Zheyta- Um, actually, the funniest part about that is that there really WERE tons and tons of bubblegum on the floor!! HAHAHAH!!! I rode the Superman twice with my dad and my friend Hailey (one who came up with the Ryou-breaking-glass thing), and both times we saw all these dried globs of bubblegum and we were like "Euuuuuwwwww........" But I will try to make it more funny. ^.^  
  
Blue diamond- WOAH! BIG review! WOOHOO!! YAY! I'm glad you like this fic so much! Makes me feel inspired to write! ^__^ Oh, don't worry, I'll have my Yami come and sedate your Bakura so he doesn't sue you. ^_^  
  
Y.C.: And when did we agree on this?  
  
Author: Oh, come on, you know you wanna get back at Bakura for the ice cream comment.  
  
Y.C.: *evil glint in eyes* Oh yeah.  
  
LOL-im-so-funny- It won't quite be just a kiss and make up for Bakura and Ryou, if ya know what I mean. Heheheh. Sure, I'll read your stuff. Hmmm... LOL! HA! Bakura would be the one to laugh at Barbie girl's scare by Malik. *snicker* *busts out laughing moments later at Ryou running like mad and drinking whole bowl of fruit punch* Whoooo...THAT was some funny stuff, I'll tell you that much. *busts out laughing and rolling around on the floor at bottom of fic author notes* Bakura seduced Malik, WAHAHAHAH!!!! Well, it seems to be like you need to put a little more adjectives in your beginning. In the first paragraph, you could've said something like:  
  
I looked up at the dark sky, breathing in the scent of Fall. Halloween had come. I eagerly put on the finishing touches for my costume. My teacher Mr. Mizuki had said it would be really fun if everyone dressed up in a costume for the dance. Every year, a dance was held on Halloween night for kids in grades 7 and 8. I adjusted my cape and wiggled my fangs.  
  
Perfect. I looked just like a vampire.  
  
As I stood there in front of my mirror, I desperately hoped Kayla Peterson, the girl I had a crush on, noticed me tonight. After all, most of the guys in my class would be dressed up as "Death", complete with a scythe and a skeleton mask. It wouldn't be too hard to spot a vampire amidst loads of Deaths. Kayla Peterson was a charming girl, with dark brown eyes framed by honey colored glass, and smooth skin encircled by long, elegant black hair. (etc, etc.)  
  
How was that? Did I give you some good advice? I hope so, cause I like your story a LOT!! ^.^ It's so funny!  
  
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!!!! AUUUGGGHHH!!!  
  
*eyes bug out at the fic where everybody is in the park with all of these weird pairings* *rolls around on the floor laughing her ass off* WHAHAHAHAHAH!!  
  
Hn. I like the fic with Ryou + Malik pairing. It's funny! I loved the part where Isis throws Malik outta the house and screams that he can't come back until he's kissed Ryou. It's funny as hell!! HAHAHAH! Even though I still love the Ryou and Bakura pairing, that Ryou + Malik pairing in both of your stories is hilarious. I still love the fruit punch thing.  
  
Author: *cries* Guess what?!?!? FF.Net says that they're gonna remove all NC-17 fics from FF.Net! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! *cries infinitely*  
  
Y.C.: *comforts author as best she can* So sorry, aibou...  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Seven: Pyramid of Mochidzuki  
  
Ryou and Bakura traveled on towards the pyramid, only stopping once when Ryou began to become hungry. Bakura had found some fruit on a large tree, and gave it to Ryou. Ryou smiled cheerfully at him, and Bakura began to question whether becoming mean again was a good thing or not. Before he had reached a conclusion, Ryou was done and they began to travel on once more.  
  
Abruptly they found themselves in an open space, void of trees or any type of plant. Only sand.  
  
And the Pyramid of Mochidzuki.  
  
"Wow..." Ryou commented, craning his neck to try and see the top of the pyramid. "Isn't this cool, Bakura? It's so high!"  
  
"I've seen higher ones," Bakura snapped, and Ryou fell silent, discouraged from trying to make conversation.  
  
Are you insulting me, Ancient One?  
  
Bakura and Ryou jumped three feet into the air.  
  
"Who are you?" Ryou inquired in awe.  
  
I am the Mochidzuki, little one, Holder of the Millennium Ring.  
  
Ryou blinked. He didn't see any eyes, so how could the pyramid know what Ryou wore around his neck?  
  
"Good. We were told to come find you," Bakura said with authority. There was a considering rumble. Where it came from, no one knew. (not even the almighty Author or her Yami!)  
  
Ah, that meddlesome Judge...I suppose she wants you to enter here, does she?  
  
"But of course," the ethereal voice they had heard when they first entered this place returned to their minds. And also, apparently, Mochidzuki. "They may pass the test. You never know, you old grump."  
  
Are you insulting me too? Mochidzuki gave an irritable sigh. Young people...  
  
"E-Excuse me, s-sir...m-ma'am..." Ryou began hesitantly. Bakura glared at him for speaking, but Ryou, feeling strangely confident, pretended not to notice.  
  
Yes, Ringbearer? (Ryou's Frodo now! WAHAHAH!)  
  
"Yes, little one?" came the majestic voice within Ryou and Bakura's mind.  
  
"What is this...test?" Ryou tentatively asked.  
  
"Well, little one, it is a test for you and your yami. It is a test to see whether Bakura is worthy of being your yami, despite any problems that may have recently happened between you two. You two will enter Mochidzuki if the lovable old grouch will let you in, and your trust between each other will be tested."  
  
"Whether I'M worthy of being this weakling's yami?! You should be testing to see whether HE is worthy of HAVING the Ring!" Bakura replied indignantly.  
  
SILENCE, IMPERTINENT ONE! Mochidzuki roared, making both albino boys cringe.  
  
"I shall leave you two now. If you survive through all of the tests, for good or ill, I shall judge you both."  
  
Now then, enter if you are brave enough to face the challenges that may end in either one of your deaths. Or maybe even both of your deaths.  
  
Both boys shuddered, and Bakura dragged Ryou inside the small gap in the pyramid that had just opened up in front of them. Ryou whimpered that he was scared.  
  
"Shut up!" Bakura snapped. "You have nothing to fear from this place, because-"  
  
Bakura stopped, for he had been about to say that he was with Ryou, and he hastily thought of something to try and cover it up. Lucky for him, he didn't have to, for an arrow whizzed past him, barely missing him and Ryou. Ryou cried out in horror as more arrows began to shoot towards them. Bakura, without thinking, instinctively hefted Ryou up into his arms, and carried him through the hallway until they both emerged into an open room. Bakura collapsed to the ground, still holding Ryou, breathing heavily.  
  
Ryou was speechless. One moment, his yami had been yelling at him, the next, Bakura was saving him. And now Ryou was in his arms.  
  
"Bakura-kun?"  
  
Ryou felt Bakura tense beneath him.  
  
"Don't ask. It was reflex."  
  
"Well, then. We ought to test those reflexes, ne?" an odd, intelligent voice inquired. Bakura and Ryou looked up to find the Celtic Guardian eyeing them thoughtfully.  
  
"What do you mean?" Bakura asked slowly, moving Ryou off of his lap onto the floor.  
  
"This is the first test of Mochidzuki-sama and the Empress Judge. I am to test your reflexes to protect your hikari."  
  
"Why should I protect this pinprick?!?!?" Bakura demanded indignantly.  
  
The Celtic Guardian regarded Bakura thoughtfully. "Then why did you save him twice before now?"  
  
Bakura fell silent, avoiding both Ryou and the Celtic Guardian's eyes.  
  
"You see?" the Celtic Guardian inquired softly. "It's a yami's natural reflex to protect his hikari. See here!"  
  
The Celtic Guardian lunged at Ryou, who gasped in horror, frozen like a deer in headlights.  
  
"I can't move!" Ryou shrieked, and Bakura dive-bombed the boy, scooping Ryou up into his arms and dodging the revived Celtic Guardian's attacks. Bakura realized after a while of dodging, that the Celtic Guardian was aiming for Ryou, not Bakura.  
  
'Idea,' Bakura thought maliciously, grinning. He tossed Ryou to the ground away from both him and the Celtic Guardian, and just as predicted, the Celtic Guardian swiveled around and began to move towards Ryou.  
  
'And that will be your downfall,' Bakura thought as he leaped upon the Celtic Guardian, forcing the previously sealed card to the ground. Bakura snatched the sword from the Guardian's hands, and positioned it just above the Celtic Guardian's neck.  
  
"I won," Bakura hissed. "Now you let us pass, with Ryou unfrozen, or you die here."  
  
The Celtic Guardian was silent, apparently limp. The light in the room brightened, and an opening in the wall opposite the one Bakura and Ryou had come through appeared. Out of the corner of Bakura's eye, he saw Ryou move testily, and then stand. Bakura also stood, keeping the sword. When Ryou sent him a questioning look, Bakura replied that they might need it later.  
  
======  
  
"So they've passed the first test," Yami concluded. The Empress Judge, named Faia, nodded. Doragon had flown everyone up to the top of Mochidzuki, where Faia's Judgment Room was. Faia had let them watch Bakura and Ryou's progress in honor of Yami, the former Pharaoh of Egypt, and the one who had sent Bakura and Ryou to this place. Since Yami had been the one to send both hikari and yami to the Realm of Mochidzuki, he was given the right to allow himself and any other people he brought along with him to watch the two being tested as they progressed through the testing as long as they didn't try to help.  
  
"The next one will be harder," Faia replied. Suddenly, the Celtic Guardian appeared in the room.  
  
"I failed, Faia-sama," the Celtic Guardian replied, smiling cheerfully. Everyone except Yami and Faia looked at each other in confusion. Why would the Guardian be smiling if he lost?  
  
"Good," Faia replied. "I want you to train some more."  
  
The Guardian bowed. "Yes, ma'am."  
  
He disappeared, and Anzu peered at Faia questioningly. "Why is it good that he failed?"  
  
"Because it reminds him that he is not the most powerful Elfin warrior, and he needs to train. Also, it means that the two being tested have a chance at passing Judgment."  
  
A collective murmur of "ohhhhhh" spread throughout the group gathered in Faia's Judgment Room.  
  
======  
  
"Bakura-kun?"  
  
"Quit calling me -kun, dammit!"  
  
"Y-Yes sir!"  
  
"Well?!" Bakura snapped after a moment of silence. "What do you want?!"  
  
"U-Um...I wanted to know...why you're mad at me all of a sudden...we were getting along so well..."  
  
"Because I had turned weak and soft!" Bakura roared. "And never question me again!"  
  
Ryou flinched as a punch connected with his cheek, and he fell silent. (Meanwhile, in the Judgment Room, Yami has turned into a raving lunatic trying to kill Bakura for hurting his friend)  
  
The two albino boys ended up in yet another large room, only this time, the opening in the wall they had come through closed up. Both boys froze, immediately looking around for a way out.  
  
"Uh...B-Bakura..."  
  
"What is it NOW?!"  
  
"L-L-Look..."  
  
Bakura followed Ryou's pointing finger, and paled in horror. The floor of the room was slowly crumbling away to reveal lava below them.  
  
"Oh, shit..." Bakura muttered. "How do we get outta this one...?"  
  
Ryou looked around frantically. "Hey, Bakura, look! There's an inscription in Egyptian!"  
  
Bakura hastily ran over to the wall, reading through the inscription as fast as he could while still understanding it. He stared at it, puzzled.  
  
"Well, what's it say?" Ryou inquired.  
  
"Don't rush me!" Bakura snapped, but he answered the question anyway. "It says that the only way to avoid death by raging flames is to combine the two separated souls into one, and to have faith as one leaps over the bridge of trust."  
  
"Huh?" Ryou murmured, thinking. "Hey, it's a riddle!" (now he really is Frodo! HAH!)  
  
"Well, then, solve it, dammit! We don't exactly have much time!"  
  
"It means for you to go back into the Millennium Ring, and for both of us to have trust in one another so that when we leap across the opening in the floor we survive...somehow."  
  
"That sounds like doubt, ne? And why should I trust you, weakling?!" Bakura shrieked indignantly.  
  
"Because it's the only fucking way we're gonna get out of here alive!" Ryou screamed right back into Bakura's face. Bakura was flabbergasted. When had Ryou learned to cuss and to stand up for himself?  
  
"WELL?!?!"  
  
"Fine," Bakura muttered, and with a flash of light, he was back within the Ring. Ryou clutched desperately at the Ring hanging from his neck.  
  
/Do you trust me, Bakura?/ Ryou questioned silently, and was met with silence for a moment or so.  
  
//Yes, aibou, I trust you.//  
  
Ryou could barely conceal the joy in his heart from his yami at those words.  
  
/Then let's jump./  
  
Strangely enough, Ryou felt as if Bakura was right behind him, grabbing hold of him. As if they were one.  
  
They leaped.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Author's Notes: MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Cliffhanger extraordinaire! HAHAHAHAHAH!!! *is hit with Filia's mace-sama* Itaiiiiiiiiii... *falls over* X_X  
  
Y.C.: Filia-sama! What'd you do that for?! Now she can't write the sequel to this chapter!  
  
Filia: *blush* Oops.  
  
Y.C.: By the way, sorry this was short. It's still over the promised minimal limit my aibou gave herself (3,000 words per chap.) so no flames! The next chapter will be better. Heheheheheheheheh... 


	8. Final Test

Author's Notes: Well, how was that last cliffhanger, eh? Didn't make you all wait TOO long, now did I?  
  
Bakura: What are you talking about? You were unconscious the whole time ever since Filia- *is whacked by Yami Cassie*  
  
Y.C.: That's better. My aibou doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, nor its characters. The only things she owns in this story are Yuumei, Mikomi, Mochidzuki, Faia, Naomi, and any other original characters or revived DM cards she puts in here. And if you're wondering why aibou has been gone all this time, it's 'cause she's been obsessed with beating the game Kingdom Hearts and also concentrating on buffing up for Swim Team.  
  
Author: Sorry to all of those that like Eyes On Me, but Soulmates is the only story I've been able to think about lately. Anyways, on to the reviews! Oh, and thank you all SOOO much for the many reviews! I love you guys!  
  
Akemi- Cool! Oh, guess what?! *fumes* The next FF game will be on the net, and you'll have to pay for it! I looked at the reviews for it and it's got pretty good graphics, but the plot is kinda bad. I've decided to play Kingdom Hearts instead, which I've heard is really good, despite the problem with camera angles. *later on, after renting the game and beating it* That game is AWESOME!!! It is so way past cool!! You HAVE to play it!!! It's rocks- MUCH better than any Final Fantasy game, except maybe FF9.  
  
AKEMI!!! You HAVE to continue your Gundam Wing ficcy!!!! :( I wanna read more of it!! You left me with a cliffhanger where Duo left and Heero actually cried cause Duo said he hated him!!  
  
Bakura: *mutters with a sadistic grin* Looks like she got some of her own medicine.  
  
Author: KISAMA BAKA NE!! *grabs him and begins to beat the tar outta him*  
  
Ryou: Ack! Leave him alone, Cassie-chan!! He didn't mean it! *coughmuchcough*  
  
Author: *pauses and glares*  
  
CheetaCat- *chuckles* Don't worry, I update often. I'm glad you like this!  
  
Raine dragon- Oh, yay! I'm so glad new reviewers are coming!  
  
YamiEmmy- :( I said I'd come back after a month, didn't I? *sniff* You lost faith. :P Just kidding, I'm not sad. I was gone for an awfully long time, wasn't I? Gomen nasai.  
  
Vampire Huntress D- Teehee! I'm so happy you like the chap!  
  
KawaiiBlackMoon- O.O Oh my.  
  
--NC-- of the Unholy Quintet- I will if you keep reviewing! ^_~  
  
Peacenikky- Teehee! Sorry 'bout that.  
  
Jessy- Oh, don't worry. That comes next chapter. *evil grin*  
  
Bakura: What'd you say?  
  
Author: *whistles* Nothing...  
  
AnimeQueen- Wow, long review. ^^ Awwwww, I feel so loved that you like my story so much! ^__^ *hand is grabbed and shook enthusiastically* No, no, no, thank YOU for giving such long, good reviews! I like good, long reviews. (Like yours, Blue diamond, and Chisa & Neko) Oh, yes, indeedy. Bakura-kun and Ryou-chan are so cute together, ne? Oh, no, no headache! ^_^ I love your reviews.  
  
Blue diamond- Wow, I'm glad I surpass your normal standards! I feel special! ^.^ Oh, wow! You say funkish too!! WHEE!! ^_^ I usually say funkified too. :) *stares at poor Bakura, being glomped* Um, well, I dunno about getting brownies, but here's a new chapter for ya!  
  
Shenya- Yeah, it was me that kept saying them as albinos. And, um, if you haven't noticed, they ARE. White hair, and pale skin NORMALLY means they're albino, ne?  
  
CheetaCat- O_O Oh my... *thoughtfully* Didn't I say not to do that at home...? *checks* Oops... LEGOLAS?!?! *zooms off, leaving only a trail of dust marking her path*  
  
Y.C.: *shrugs, teleports, and then comes back with Author in hands* You still have answers to your reviews to finish, not to mention a whole chapter.  
  
Author: Awwwwww, but Yami-chan...  
  
Y.C.: No buts.  
  
Author: *pouts*  
  
Ryuusei dragon: I'm sowwy bout that, but I decided I'd only make this...well, then again...*evil grin* I DO like that couple...  
  
Y.C.: Oh no...  
  
Chisa and Neko- Well, turns out we can't ride on horses. SOOO, we'll just walk around as Ringwraiths!!! BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!  
  
Y.C.: *blinks*  
  
Yami: *frowns* Bakura...  
  
Bakura: *"innocently"* What??  
  
Y.C.: Have you been teaching her how to laugh evilly?  
  
Bakura: No. Malik and his yami have been.  
  
Y.C. and Yami: WHAAAAATTT?!?!?!?!?  
  
Chisa and Neko- Hitori...er...very sorry bout that...*scratches head, embarrassed*  
  
Crystaldraygon98- Oh, really sorry about that. *blushes* I got obsessed with playing Kingdom Hearts, and also had to go to the Anime Convention #8, PLUS I have to run around the track at school for swim team every day until the end of next week. *makes a disgusted face at mention of swim team practices* Blech. Well, anywayz, I'm glad you love this story! *tear* So many people love it now. *sniffle* I feel so loved. In fact, when I first started Soulmates, I only intended for it to have two or so chapters, and I didn't even think of putting a Ryou x Bakura pairing in here. So, now, when I look back on my first chapter and think of the way I intended it to be, I wonder how in the name of Ra it progressed so far from my original plan. :D  
  
Rage Aomori- ACK!! *dodges speeding basket*  
  
Y.C.: Hey! Quit throwing baskets of rotting food at my aibou!  
  
Rage Aomori- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry- *is cowering behind Yami Cassie*  
  
Sliverlaugh1155- *leg gets glomped* O___O Never thought I'd get glomped in my life. *tries to shake clinging figure off leg* Uh...take? Not sure I understand...*laughs* Alrighty, alrighty, I'm continuing! *tries to move to computer* Ummm...I can't finish if I'm glomped so hard I can't move... ^_^;  
  
Jessie bakura- BWUAHAHAHAH!! I am the Evil Mistress of Cliffhanger Hell!! MWUAHAHAHAHAH!!!!  
  
Y.C.: *eyes bulge* O____________O Aibou...?  
  
Sarah- *watches form go up and down* @_@ Dizzy... *LOL* Now-ish, huh? *lol* That's funny! *chuckle* Now-ish it is.  
  
Yuugilover3- Oooo, I'm glad you approve! ^.^ Oh, grr........that's right, I forgot to delete his reply. Hrm. Well, Yuugilover3, he apparently didn't take too well to my story. ^_^ But that's okay. My reviewers and I had fun yelling at him, even though he/she will probably never know. *shrugs cheerfully* But oh well. *LOL* I've been asking the same question of my mother for ages! I can't wait for it and I'm in the same house! O.o  
  
Beverly- We are rather evil, aren't we? It's just so much fun! :)  
  
Asian Angel 12- Hullo! I'm glad you liked my poem, and my stories! I did read "Cant You See? I love you...", and I love it!! You MUST continue. ^_^ By the way, you probably shouldn't put all those "-"s at the end before your Author's Notes, cause it makes the reader lose interest and get annoyed with trying to find the bottom of the fic. I was scrolling through, and I'm like, "Okay, is there even an end to it?" :P Just some author-to-author friendly criticism. I hope I didn't offend you or anything. *grimace* I seem to be doing that a lot lately to people near me...but anyways...  
  
Firedraygon97- *blinks* Okie, now that's weird. I have two reviewers with the word "draygon" in their SN, and at the end they have a number in the late 90s...that's freaky. But, anywhos, my mom is really lenient, and I can really pretty much get on when I want to! Er...sorta. I mean, I do have ta ask and all. *shivers* Woah, that was freaky. Sounded like a wolf howled right outside the window just now. *shudder*  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Eight: Final Test  
  
They leaped.  
  
/Bakura, we're not gonna make it!/ Ryou cried out to his yami as soon as he saw that they began to descend way too quickly.  
  
//Yes we are, Ryou. Believe.//  
  
Was Bakura asking Ryou to believe that his yami wouldn't hurt him? As if. Ryou had already heard that before, right before a beating.  
  
They faltered in mid-air, and began to drop.  
  
//Ryou, believe!! We can make it!//  
  
/I'm trying, dammit, I'm trying!/  
  
//No you're not! You-//  
  
They stopped in "mid-air", hitting what used to be the floor before it began to "crumble away".  
  
"It was an illusion..." Ryou muttered, beginning to laugh from the sheer relief that they wouldn't fall into the lava pit. Bakura appeared above Ryou, looking very angry. Ryou shut up. The look on Bakura's face was the same expression that appeared before a beating. Bakura grabbed Ryou's shirt collar, and lifted him to his feet. It unnerved Ryou to look down and see himself "floating", so he had no choice but to look straight at his yami.  
  
"You didn't trust me. I trusted you."  
  
Bakura's tone of voice clearly indicated that Bakura was accusing Ryou. Ryou suddenly felt a spark of strength appear within him, and he began to scream at Bakura right in the yami's face.  
  
"How am I supposed to trust you at all?!?! When we first met, you began to beat me and whip me without even getting to know me and see if we could become friends!! When Yuumei-san turned you into a good person I was so happy. I thought we could be more than friends. I thought we could be just like Yugi and Yami, protecting each other through the bad times!! But then you had to go and change back, crushing all my hopes and dreams in one single blow with your fucking whip!! How am I ever supposed to trust you again?!?!?"  
  
Every muscle in Bakura's face was frozen.  
  
The silence roared within Ryou's ears, making him very uncomfortably aware that he had probably just screamed a death wish. Used to, Bakura would have killed him for such insubordination.  
  
And speak of the devil.  
  
Ryou cried out in pain as Bakura's hand slapped him hard across the cheek, and he crumpled to the ground at his yami's feet.  
  
"I trusted you, even though you betrayed me! I was nice to you! I saved you, I cared for you, I fucking protected you just like that damn Pharaoh would have done for Yugi! And you fucking betrayed me to that...that girl, whatever her fucking name is! Don't play dumb with me, I fucking saw you two! You say I crushed your hopes and dreams. Well did it ever fucking occur to you that you fucking crushed mine too?!?!?!?" (He likes that f-word, ne? I believe I count 6 total f-words in there.)  
  
Ryou stared. "What does Naomi-san have to do with this?"  
  
Another slap. Ryou refrained from commenting that slaps were issued by girls. "I said not to play dumb with me! I saw you kissing her!!"  
  
Ryou stared once more. "I kissed her?! She's the one who kissed me! I'm the one that pushed her away!"  
  
"That's not what I saw," Bakura hissed.  
  
"Then you didn't fucking look very long, did you?! My heart doesn't belong to her, it belongs to someone else, dammit!" (I think I like this new, improved, cussing Ryou. Don't you?)  
  
"Then who?!" Bakura demanded.  
  
"None of your business!" Ryou shrieked, and he began to sob, pleading silently to Kami-sama (God) for the old Bakura to return, the one that he loved. Bakura tried to remain indifferent to Ryou's sobs, but, eventually, his ears couldn't tune them out, and his hands clenched into fists. He felt his nails pierce flesh, and blood drip down onto the floor, but he didn't care. The pain in his hands kept him from hearing Ryou's crying.  
  
"You have failed the Test of Trust," the ethereal voice came once again. Ryou paused, trying to remain silent so he could hear the woman's voice, which was now outside their minds instead of inside. Two openings appeared in the wall nearest them. One opening shone with light, while the other glowered with darkness.  
  
"The yami is to enter the Door of Kage, while the Ringbearer is to enter the Door of Hikari." (Kage means shadow, therefore, the Door of Shadows.)  
  
Bakura hastily went into the dark doorway so he could get away from his hikari's sobs. Ryou regained his composure before entering the door brewing with light. As he entered, he found that his clothing had changed. He paused, looking down at his new clothing. He wore a blue mage's outfit, which was more like a dress than anything, and a red heart glowed on his forehead. To his astonishment, he felt new, foreign muscles, and when he flexed them, he realized he had angel wings, which allowed him to fly. He smiled, momentarily distracted from the pain in his heart, and he flew the rest of the way down the hallway. He entered a large room, bigger than any he and Bakura had encountered so far, and the floor, walls, and ceiling, all seemed to move. He was dizzy until he reminded himself that it was just moving colors, not a moving room.  
  
He looked around, and was surprised to see Bakura emerge from another doorway, with bat wings, a dark purple robe on, and a broken, black heart on his forehead. As soon as his yami entered the room, a cage appeared around him. He looked around wildly for an escape as the cage floated upwards to the top of a tower which stood in the middle of the room.  
  
"Come, Ringbearer. It is time for Judgment. Do not worry. You will be fine no matter what the outcome. Your yami will hurt you no more."  
  
Ryou relaxed, stretched out his wings, and flew up to the top of the tower.  
  
"Minna?!" he exclaimed as soon as he saw that Yami, Yugi, Anzu, Jounouchi, Honda, and Yuumei were all awaiting him with sad looks on their faces. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"We came to w-"  
  
Honda's explanation was interrupted by Yuumei, who covered his mouth. She grinned apologetically at Ryou.  
  
"We came to see how you were," she obviously lied. Ryou frowned at her.  
  
"You don't have to lie. It's okay if you came to watch. I'd be curious too."  
  
"Indeed. Well now, Ringbearer, will you stand the Final Test of Judgment?"  
  
"Of course," Ryou immediately answered, gazing steadily at the owner of the voice he had heard most often throughout the entire ordeal. He recognized it as the Empress Judge Card. The Judge nodded.  
  
"My name is Faia, and I will be the Judge of both hikari and yami, the two sides of a heart. Dark and light as one now separated into two will be Judged according to the results of the five Tests."  
  
"Five?" both Ryou and Bakura questioned at the same time.  
  
"Yes, five. The first test was the Test of Strength, in which the yami of the Ringbearer passed, but not without a wound to tell the tale with. The second test was for the Ringbearer- The Test of Caring. The Ringbearer had to prove that he wanted his yami to survive. If the Ringbearer had not passed the test, then the yami would have died, and the Ringbearer would have been sent home without the Ring. The third test was Mochidzuki's Approval. If both of you passed the test given to you, then Mochidzuki would let you inside here, which he did. The fourth test was the Test of Protection, in which the Celtic Guardian tested the yami's reflexes to protect his hikari. The fifth test was the leap of faith, the Test of Trust. The Ringbearer failed the fifth test, because he could not trust his yami for reasons unforeseen."  
  
Both Ryou and Bakura were silent, each wrapped in his own memories.  
  
"According to the tests, the Ringbearer does not trust his yami, but also does not want his yami to die. Ringbearer, would you please explain yourself?"  
  
Ryou swallowed. "Bakura used to beat me. When Yuumei-sama changed him to a good person, after a while he turned evil again, and whipped me. How could I trust someone who did that, even if they were a part of me that I would miss should they be gone?"  
  
Faia nodded gravely. "And as for the yami...according to the tests, he is strong enough to protect his hikari, he has reflexes quick enough to protect his hikari if someone tries to kill the Ringbearer, and he trusts his hikari. You must understand, I have never seen anything like this before. Everything that should be there is there except for the Ringbearer's trust. How can darkness trust the light even though the light cannot trust the darkness?"  
  
Bakura and Ryou were silent. Everyone was silent.  
  
Yuumei finally couldn't stand it. She flew up to Faia, and whispered something in the woman's ear. Faia nodded, smiling.  
  
"In order to have trust, yami and hikari must be one. They must know each other's secrets."  
  
Both Ryou and Bakura paled. Everyone except Yuumei began to protest at Faia, even Yami.  
  
"SILENCE!" Faia roared, and everyone shut up. "Now then, do you all wish to see these two pass Judgment?"  
  
A murmur of yes went through the group gathered.  
  
"Then I shall proceed?"  
  
There was silence.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes."  
  
Even more silence.  
  
"Very well then." Faia gestured with her hands and both albino boys were encased in an obsidian bubble. The bubbles disappeared.  
  
"So..." Anzu began, looking around questioningly.  
  
"I guess we wait," Yugi summed up, sitting down to patiently await the outcome.  
  
==========================================================  
  
Ryou jumped slightly, looking around. After he had been encased in the bubble for a while, it popped and Ryou found himself in an empty room. All along the walls, hieroglyphics had been etched into the blocks of golden-colored stone. Ryou felt himself wondering what they meant, especially since he didn't have his yami to help translate. He moved along the walls, sometimes reaching out a hand to trace the markings.  
  
He froze. In front of him, a drawing of none other than his yami was cowering under the whippings of another man. Above the picture a drawing of the Millennium Ring was carved into the surface of the rock. As soon as Ryou touched it, the wall became instantly blank, void of color or markings. Ryou stumbled back, startled. He sat down quickly to stop his dizziness, and stared at the screen before him.  
  
As he watched, the wall began to take on color, and, before he knew it, he was watching a full-fledged movie. He frowned thoughtfully, watching everything take place.  
  
~A girl and a boy, both with shockingly white hair, were huddling in a corner of some room while listening to the sounds of two adults arguing. Ryou heard a sharp noise, like a fist connecting with bone, ring out. A cry of pain followed. The children winced and trembled violently, mouthing silent prayers.~  
  
Ryou suddenly realized that the boy was Bakura, and the girl must have been his sister. 'So this is a movie...of Bakura's life? This must be what Faia-sama meant when she said "knowing each other's secrets."'  
  
~A man clad in Egyptian clothes suddenly appeared in the doorway. Bakura and his sister began to whimper in fear as he advanced upon them. He grabbed them, one hand gripping Bakura's wrist, the other hand gripping the girl's wrist. Bakura began to struggle violently, while the girl merely submitted, letting herself get dragged along.~  
  
The man shouted at Bakura in Egyptian, but Ryou found himself understanding what was said.  
  
~"Quit struggling, you stupid kid! I command you to submit to me!"  
  
Bakura paid no heed to the warning, and received a hefty blow to the head for it. He collapsed, and the man threw the boy over his shoulder. He carried Bakura and dragged the girl out of the room.~  
  
The screen shifted to another place, one in which Bakura and his sister were put to work in the service of the Pharaoh(Yami's father). Bakura and his sister worked inside the palace, cleaning dishes, washing clothes, etc.  
  
Eventually, Bakura's sister, whom Ryou now knew as Etowa-ru(Star), grew into a beautiful teenage girl. She became too beautiful for slavery. Bakura happened to notice it one day while they were washing dishes. Water splattered onto her face, washing away the dirt, revealing smooth skin and an elegant young woman. Etowa-ru noticed her brother's stare and asked him what was wrong.  
  
~"You're...pretty..." Bakura whispered in a deathly quiet voice. Etowa-ru paled, and covered her cheeks.  
  
"Has the dirt come off?!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone. Bakura nodded. She grabbed at his clothes, trying to get as much dirt off of them as she could. Once she had gotten the dirt on her hands, she rubbed her face with it. The slave master happened to notice the girl's gyrating hand movements, and looked more closely. He realized what the girl was doing and immediately called over a palace guard. He spoke with the guard briefly, and then the guard nodded.  
  
Etowa-ru was deftly snatched away from her brother, and carried away to go to the harem. Bakura called after her, screaming curses at the guard. In a sudden flush of unknown power, he found himself punching the guard. The guard winced under the blow, and glared down at the boy with contempt. Bakura was grabbed by the slave master, and knocked out so he wouldn't struggle.  
  
"It's time to teach this boy some manners."~  
  
==========================================================  
  
Once the bubble encasing Bakura had disappeared, and he found himself in a strange, empty room, Bakura merely sat where he was for a while, reliving memories of all that had happened in this strange realm. He sighed, and stood, beginning to look for a way out. He noticed some Japanese scripture on the walls, and began to move along it impatiently, hoping for something he would recognize.  
  
He paused, staring at a carving of his hikari's face. He peered at the picture curiously until he realized that one half of Ryou's face was his own. Above the picture was a carving of Yuumei in her card form. Bakura reverently touched the part of the face that was his hikari, and the wall blanked for a moment, void of color.  
  
A movie began to appear on the wall. Bakura instantly realized it was a biography of Ryou. He watched as Ryou was born into a world a love and care, until his mother died.  
  
~Ryou stood, sopping wet due to the heavy rain, watching the funeral for his mother take place. His eyes showed nothing. They were completely blank. Only when the coffin was placed silently into the ground did Ryou begin to cry. His father offered only minimal comfort, for even his eyes were void of emotion. The light in their lives had been taken.~  
  
The years progressed, with Ryou growing into a loner day by day. He rarely spoke, he got fabulously good grades, and he was bullied around and didn't care. One day, Ryou's father returned from a trip to Egypt. He handed Ryou the Millennium Ring.  
  
Bakura tried to remain indifferent to everything that happened as the year went on, with him torturing Ryou every chance he got. Only when Ryou had been kidnapped did Bakura allow himself to actually listen to what was heard. When Bakura watched himself burst into the room, glowing with a blue fiery aura, Bakura's eyebrows raised. He really did look scary. (He had any doubts in the first place?)  
  
Bakura watched with impatience. At one point, he listened to Ryou singing "Irresistible". He scoffed. His aibou really could sing. But...why was he choosing to sing a song about a guy?  
  
Bakura ignored his thoughts, bored stiff. There was nothing in this movie he hadn't already seen. Or was there?  
  
Ryou was walking through the park, whistling a random song. He swerved around suddenly, and Bakura realized that Ryou had sensed that he was following the boy that day. Ryou bit his lip, turned around, and began to walk swiftly away. He reached a clearing with a bench in it, and saw that a girl he knew from school was sitting there.  
  
~"Hey, Naomi-chan!" Ryou called, smiling cheerily. "Mind if I have a seat?"  
  
"Not at all," Naomi replied in an odd tone of voice.  
  
"Naomi-chan? Daijobu ka?" Ryou inquired worriedly. Naomi sighed.  
  
"There's this guy I like- a LOT. I've known him for about a year now, and I still like him. He's kinda shy, so I don't know if he likes me back, and he doesn't have very many friends, so I can't ask them."  
  
Before Ryou could figure out why it sounded so familiar, he asked who Naomi liked.  
  
She turned to stare at him for a moment, and then kissed him.  
  
Ryou froze.~  
  
Bakura felt the rage rise in his throat once more, the kind that happens because you're sad and angry at the same time. He forced himself to keep watching the scene.  
  
~Ryou pulled away from Naomi, his eyes wide. He sighed after a while of silence.  
  
"Naomi-chan, my heart belongs to someone else. It has for a long time now. I am truly sorry."~  
  
Bakura's eyebrows raised in surprise, the rage dying down back to its normal soft simmer.  
  
~Naomi's eyes filled with tears, and she fled from the clearing.  
  
"I'm sorry," Ryou whispered. "But my heart belongs to Bakura..."~  
  
Bakura froze, numb with shock.  
  
==========================================================  
  
Ryou bit his lip in horror, recoiling from the scenes of torture that the slave master put Bakura through. Ryou suddenly realized that the master was shouting someone else's name even as he whipped Bakura. Ryou's eyes widened as he recalled Yami's words about Bakura's torturer beating Bakura just because of his own problems with the Pharaoh.  
  
Bakura's life progressed, and he eventually ran away, becoming a tomb robber. He became one of the most renowned tomb robbers ever, plundering and robbing the most well-guarded pyramids known to man. Pharaoh Yami constantly sent out a search party to locate him and to either bring him back alive -if possible- or kill him upon sight. Very few ever returned from their exploits, and eventually Yami gave up. He later was murdered and his soul was sealed into the Millennium Puzzle. The two people who killed him were sealed inside their own Millennium Items. (Malik and Kaiba, I guess)  
  
~One day, Bakura went to Yami's tomb, and found himself tested almost to the peak of his strength. Only when Bakura had reached the actual burial room did Bakura allow himself to rest for a moment. Then Bakura stood, and froze at the sight of mounds of treasures. He smirked maliciously to himself, and stalked over to the nearest item. He touched it briefly, examining it.  
  
A light shone from the item, and a voice said into his ear that he is destined to be sealed inside the Ring. And with a rushing sound, in a blur of light, Bakura's body and soul split apart. The corpse tumbled to the ground beside the Ring, in which Bakura's spirit was now trapped.~  
  
Ryou noticed that his mouth was hanging open, and he instantly shut it. He winced as fast-forwarded images of Bakura's torture sessions with Ryou flashed by his eyes. Then, abruptly, the images came to a stop, and Ryou realized it was the day he had spoken in the park with Yami about Bakura. Bakura suddenly materialized beside him, and raised a hand as if to strike him. Yami snatched Bakura's hand with a deathly strong grip.  
  
~"Ryou-kun.leave us," Yami growled. Bakura gave him a narrowed Death Glare. The Ryou on the screen backed away for a moment, unsure, then turned, and fled.  
  
"What do you want, Pharaoh?" Bakura hissed venomously, mocking Yami's former title. Yami snarled at him.  
  
"I want to know why you treat Ryou-kun so badly. He's just as strong as any of us, only in his own, different way, and he hides it, even from himself. You have no right to call him weak."  
  
"But he is weak!! He flinches from me even before I have struck him!"  
  
Yami's fist connected with Bakura's face, and Bakura hit the ground, hard.  
  
"The only reason he does that is because you have given him reason to fear you before you strike!" Yami narrowed his eyes, and then said slowly, "I'll bet.that when you try to be nice to Ryou-kun, if that were possible, it would still be considered cruel in every religion in the world."  
  
Bakura glared up at him. "And what about you, Pharaoh?! You've given everything up for your aibou, only to have nothing in return!"  
  
"You are wrong, as always. Yugi-chan has given me the light of love in my heart. Once, I was like you, but Yugi turned me into something much better. He may not return my feelings, but he certainly returns friendship- which is more than what you have, Bakura!"~  
  
Ryou didn't know what happened, but there was a slight light from the Millennium Ring hanging from Bakura's neck, but Yami waved a hand and the light died away.  
  
~"I'm not finished with you yet!" Yami declared. "You will not leave until I dismiss you."  
  
Bakura glared in retaliation, sneering.  
  
"I know you've had a harsh, cruel life in Egypt," Yami began softly. "Hell, Ra knows we all have, but that still doesn't give you the right to take it out on the one who possesses your Ring. You keep hurting Ryou-kun, just like the one who used to hurt you for his own problems with me. But, if you keep venting your anger and hatred, you're just going to create another 'you' out of Ryou-kun, and then Ryou-kun will create another, and out of that one, yet another, and another, and then the cycle will continue with all of this pain that you have caused."  
  
Bakura's face was wiped of its smirk, and he stared at the ground intently. Yami sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You may think that Ryou-kun is weak, but he's not. Why else do you think he keeps the Ring instead of destroying it or giving it to someone else?"  
  
Bakura mumbled something inaudible.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Bakura murmured, "I don't know."  
  
"Good, because I would tell you anyway," Yami replied. "Ryou-kun keeps your Ring because he is afraid of unleashing you upon some other poor soul, who is weaker than he is. He doesn't want to cause anyone the same pain that he is being dealt."  
  
Bakura mumbled something incoherent, then muttered, "Then why doesn't he just kill me or destroy the Ring?"  
  
"Because of the same reason," Yami replied softly. "He doesn't want to hurt anyone."  
  
Bakura looked up at him, eyes wide.  
  
"Including you."~  
  
As the scene ended, Ryou found himself blushing furiously. Another scene came on, and Ryou realized that it wasn't an Angel-Demon he had seen standing in the doorway of the room he had been placed in once he was kidnapped. It had been Bakura. Bakura was glowing with a mysterious blue flame. Yami hastily went over to Ryou's unconscious body, shielding him.  
  
~"Take 'im," one kidnapper commanded, and the group of captors all advanced toward Ryou's yami. Bakura smirked sadistically.  
  
BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!~  
  
Ryou cringed, shielding his eyes from the bright light coming from the wall-screen as the building blew up.  
  
~Yami let go of Ryou's unconscious body, his shield dropping. Bakura took over the situation, kneeling next to Ryou. He traced a gentle hand over all of the wounds he'd dealt just a day or two ago. There was even one from that morning. Bakura let the tears fall for once, and scooped up the albino boy in his arms, standing and turning towards the exit. Yami picked up Ryou's torn shirt, and draped it over the boy, who was shivering even in his sleep.  
  
Everyone stared as Bakura came out of the building, holding their unconscious friend, and were shocked to see tear trails on his face. Yugi immediately ran to Yami's side.  
  
"Are you okay?!" Yugi breathlessly demanded. Yami smiled slightly, and nodded.  
  
"Bakura did all the work," Yami replied, smiling slightly at the retreating form of the ancient spirit. "I didn't even need to go inside, except to protect Ryou from Bakura's power eruption."  
  
Yugi cocked a quizzical eyebrow, and turned to watch Bakura. Everyone began to follow the ancient spirit, who didn't seem to notice them. It seemed as if he was only interested in carrying his hikari home.  
  
"Alright, I can't stand it anymore!" Anzu finally burst out after a few minutes of walking in silence. Jounouchi, easily telling what Anzu meant, asked the question for her. He ran in front of Bakura, arms spread to stop the spirit.  
  
"We have ta know- did you make those wounds on Ryou-kun?!"  
  
Silence ensued, though only for a moment. It seemed, however, like an eternity before Bakura answered.  
  
"Yes," he whispered broken-heartedly. "I did give him most of these wounds."~  
  
Ryou grimaced at the sound of Jounouchi's fist connecting with Bakura's jaw, and watched as Bakura fell to the ground.  
  
~"I know I deserved that, Jou-san, but can we please settle this." Bakura looked up at Jounouchi, dried tear trails on his face, ".after we get Ryou home and we know for sure that he's safe?"~  
  
The scenes shifted, showing Ryou what happened before he woke up at Yugi's house, and various other things, including one point where Bakura was watching Naomi kiss Ryou. Ryou barely listened to what happened anymore, because he was so wrapped up in the horrors Bakura had gone through during his life. He didn't even hear Bakura mumbling to himself about loving Ryou.  
  
The screen suddenly went dead.  
  
"Both yami and hikari now know all that there is to know about the other. It is time."  
  
A wall behind Ryou slid open, revealing a bright light coming from another room. Ryou stood, and walked over to the door. It opened up fully.  
  
His yami stood in the middle of the doorway, awaiting him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Notes: Oh, I am so bad...heheheheh. This is fun, ne, Yami-chan?  
  
Y.C.: Indeed.  
  
Disclaimers: Um, duh. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. Only Yuumei, Mikomi, Faia, Naomi, Doragon, and the plot are mine.  
  
Oh, and, by the way, I have a new story out. It's a sequel to the Kingdom Hearts game, so unless you have played the game or know a whole bunch about it, don't read my story. Then again, it's supposed to take place during the actual game, so...oh, what the hell, if you don't wanna spoil the game, don't read. If you do wanna spoil some of it, go right ahead and read. For the moment, it's just the opening sequence- the beginning of my very long fic, which will be longer than Soulmates. 


	9. The Path of Soulmates

Author's Notes: Well, here it is! Chapter 9! And, yes, this is FINALLY the lemon between Ryou and Bakura!!! WHOOHOOO!!!! Well, actually, if ya wanna see it you'll have to go to my Yahoo group, the address of which is below in my fic! *reviewers cheer with her* *bows* Thank you, thank you...  
  
Y.C.: *stares*  
  
Author: Whaaaat? I'm in drama! I'm practicing getting rid of stage fright! :P  
  
Y.C.: *sighs* There's a difference between getting up in front of people you hate, and getting up in front of people you like.  
  
Author: So? *glances at reviews* YAY!!! I finally got more than 100!!! WHOOHOOO!!! This chapter is dedicated to all my adoring fans of Soulmates!! Thanks for giving me the inspiration to continue!!  
  
Wings Vaporeon- Nope! You're wrong! ^_^ Ha! Surprised you, didn't I? :)  
  
YamiEmmy- I'm so glad you're speechless! Glad you liked Chapter 8! (Though FF.Net labeled it as 9)  
  
Asian Angel 12- Heh. Sorry. Oh, it was no problem to read your fic! I liked it a lot!  
  
Amy Bakura- *cackles* Sorry bout the cliffhanger...  
  
Akemi- *blushes and hands Akemi a Kleenex* Wow, thanks for your extravagant compliments. Really?!?! YAAYY!!!!! *glomp* Thank you for continuing! I'll go read it right away! I am sorry for the long wait, everyone. It just so happens that my best friend in the whole world moved away not too long ago, one of my other friends might be moving as well, I saw a guy I hoped I'd never see again, I lost my favorite ring -which held my Yami in it and now my Yami is weakening-, and I saw the guy from my past who was formerly my boyfriend (what the hell was I thinking?) again. It was kinda funny, though, cause he walks up to me to talk to me, and I just turn right around and leave. (I had to go anyway *heehee*)  
  
Dracana Luna Challenge Master- *chuckles at thoughts and actions* *smiles* I'd love to check out your story. The only problem is, I'm gonna need to know what it's title is. ^.^  
  
Chibi Hikari aka Chibi Malik- No problem!! *grinz*  
  
Vampire Huntress D- I'm glad you like them! And I will try to update more often.  
  
KawaiiBlackMoon- Kodocha: Sana's Stage, huh? I'll have to check that out. Yes, she did write another book. But even though it was FABULOUS no one wanted to publish it 'cause she was a new authoress and all. Although, J.K. Rowling was rejected 10 times before Harry Potter was published!! I'll bet the ones who refused her are kicking themselves in the arse right about now.  
  
Yami lover- *winces at outburst and clamps hands over ears* Uh...*tentative smile*...this chapter??  
  
Chisa and Neko- *grinz* Thank you.  
  
RageAomori- Oooo, yummy!! Halloween candy!! Thank you! *gets hit in head by basket of fruit* Hey!!! *grinz* It's Fruits Basket!!! *cackles* I love that new anime. Fruits Basket RULES! Especially Yuki Sohma. Tomato for mee?!?!? YAY!! I LOVE tomatoes!! *chomp, chomp, chomp*  
  
Jessie Weasley- Humorous. And, I will read your stories. IF you give me their titles! ^__^ Unless of course you want me to read more than one.  
  
Crystaldraygon98- O_O Oh my. I do? YAY! I'm glad you like it so much.  
  
MidnightSky- I'm glad I could help!! ^.^  
  
Rian- Um...okay. *sheepish smile*  
  
K-chan- YAY! Thank you for telling us!!  
  
Kitty- Um, Kitty-san and Amethyst-san? Could you please limit your reviews to only one? It takes up space for so many short reviews from the same person. I am glad you like this story though! Er...*questioning look*...how long have I been writing?? Do you mean literally or just on FF.Net? Cause if you mean just on FF.Net, I have no clue. I you mean literally, ever since I can remember!  
  
MoonBlueLX- Awwww, I'm so glad my fics make that much of an impression on people!! *sniffle*  
  
YamiAsefe- S'ok. Um...albino people DO have hair. It's just really really light-colored so it's almost invisible. And, yes, you're probably right. Ryou/Bakura would be half, cause of their eyes. Plus their hair is pretty visible. Yes, there will be more YugixYami. SURE!! ^__^ Not on the phone, obviously. That got me grounded. But if you have Yahoo Messenger, I can. Don't ask me to get AOL, cause I did once and it screwed up my computer. Luckily it didn't bomb all my fics. *horror-stricken look at mere thought of that happening* If you do have Yahoo IM, my SN is cassie_the_dragonlady. If you don't have it, just e-mail me at cassie_the_dragonlady@yahoo.com . Which character do I like best???? O___O Uhhhhh...I like them all but I think my favorite would either be Yami or Yami Bakura...no, wait, Yami Bakura, hands down.  
  
Lime Green Jello- Heheh...sorry. Couldn't help putting in flashbacks. If you do read it in one sitting, tell me! I wanna know if it can be done. ^_^;;; I'm glad you like the review replies! I try to reply to everyone, but sometimes people leave such short replies that there's really nothing of importance to write back for. But there are some that leave HUGE reviews, which I am VERY thankful for!!  
  
Katana: ACK! *tries to rid herself of choking hands* *her yami comes to her rescue, prying Katana off her* Er, no problem!! Dun worry!! ^_^ Here's the next chappie, right here for ya! Just...don't try and attack me again, k? My Yami-chan just might hurt you.  
  
GYSH- Could you please limit your reviews? ^_^ I'd appreciate it. Not that I don't like them or anything, it's just I get confused and think a whole lotta people have reviewed, and when it turns out to be only one person I get kinda discouraged. Actually, screw Resident Evil. Never go see The Ring. If you wanna have nightmares (or if you think you won't be scared), go ahead, but proceed at your own risk. You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. I did. *shiver* Still do. Ladders, chairs, and scary little girls- oh my! You're very much right, Sura. Not everyone isn't afraid of being rejected. I know I'm afraid. Oh, gods, I HATE the pirate ship ride!! That pirate ship thingy can go to hell! I once had a nightmare from it, even though I never went on it!! ^_^ But that was a really long time ago. Well, see, that's the thing. I don't necessarily like the people, but I like some of their music. Especially when it corresponds so perfectly with one of my fics, ne?  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh: Soulmates  
  
Chapter Nine: The Path of Soulmates  
  
The two just stared at each other.  
  
It seemed like an eternity passed around them before either of them broke the silence, so enraptured were they with knowing things about the other they'd never thought of before.  
  
The silence broke, and so did Ryou. Ryou collapsed into Bakura's arms, sobbing pitifully.  
  
"I didn't know," Ryou repeated over and over in a pained whisper. Bakura comforted the boy as best he could, holding Ryou tightly against his body and rubbing the boy's back.  
  
"Shhhh," Bakura murmured. "It's alright..."  
  
"Such a horrible life..." Ryou sobbed. Bakura sighed, hugging him tighter.  
  
"Not since you came into it, love."  
  
Ryou's head shot up. "What did you say?!"  
  
Bakura blushed. (KAWAII!!! *glomp*)  
  
"Not since you came into it..."  
  
"No, not that. You said something else."  
  
The hopeful expression on Ryou's face touched Bakura. Bakura smiled softly, and did the first thing that came to his mind.  
  
Ryou didn't understand what had happened until long after it had begun. It felt so exhilarating to have Bakura's lips pressed up against his own that Ryou sagged with the intensity, going limp in his yami's arms. Bakura pressed Ryou closer, kissing him more passionately, not seeming to notice that Ryou had just melted with the consistency of butter left in the sun too long.  
  
Once Ryou had regained his thoughts, he wrapped his arms around Bakura's neck, moving as close to Bakura's body as was physically possible. Ryou felt Bakura's tongue touch his lips, and his mind blanked for a moment as he opened his mouth to his yami and Bakura's tongue plunged in, exploring the depths. All thought or reason had left the both of them. Lust, passion, and love had taken over. They tore at each other's clothing, trying to slip it off without breaking contact with their mouths.  
  
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(I'm sorry to deny you your lemon scene 'cause of FF.Net's new stupid rules. If you want to see the full-lemony chapter, go to my yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dragon_mistress_cassies_fanfiction/ )  
  
"Pharaoh, may I please see you?" Faia said, appearing out of nowhere. She had left only minutes before. Yami nodded, and followed the woman into a side room. Faia displayed what was happening with Ryou and Bakura on the wall. Yami began to cough, trying not to choke on his own laughter as he tried in vain to breath. Faia stared at him for a moment. When he had regained his composure, she spoke.  
  
"Yami-sama, will you please explain to me what they are doing? It seems so violent, yet...I don't know. I've never seen this before. Have they repaired their trust or not?"  
  
"Oh, they've repaired their trust alright," Yami laughed, flushing with slight embarrassment at seeing his two friends' activities.  
  
"Good. Then I shall bring them back-"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Faia stared at him. Yami blushed.  
  
"Sorry. It's just...I think you should leave them alone. In fact, why don't you teleport them back to their house, in Ryou's bed?"  
  
Yami was just about to lose it to his laughing fit when Faia nodded, and the two half-albino boys disappeared from the screen. Yami was dismissed, and he left the side room. Once outside, he erupted in laughter once more, clutching his sides and collapsing onto the floor. His friends rushed over to him, standing around in confusion whilst he laughed all the breath out of his lungs. Once he was done, Yugi kneeled next to him, draping an arm around his shoulder.  
  
"What happened, Yami-chan?"  
  
Yami chuckled, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "Bakura and Ryou are havin' it out."  
  
Yugi and Jounouchi were the first to comprehend. They busted out laughing, just as Yami had done. It took Honda more time, and Anzu even longer. When they did understand, they simply blushed furiously.  
  
==========================================================  
  
(Okay, fine, I won't keep you... *grumble, grumble*)  
  
Ryou found himself under his yami, in his own bed, and he desperately prayed what had happened wasn't only a dream. He didn't open his eyes until Bakura stroked his face.  
  
"You okay?" Bakura murmured, concerned. Ryou opened his eyes and gave him a dazzling smile, throwing his slim arms about his yami's neck.  
  
"Oh, I thought it was a dream!"  
  
"Never. I've loved you since the first moment I saw you."  
  
Ryou drew back, staring. "Then...why did you...?"  
  
Bakura tried to smile, but failed. He used one finger to stroke the red mark on Ryou's cheek. "I'd always been taught that love was weak, and I especially didn't want to fall for someone who was supposed to be my reincarnate, and was everything I was before the slave master took me in. I guess...I wanted you to be more like me, as I am now..."  
  
Bakura sighed, using his bangs to hide his tears. "I don't know. I wish it had never happened. I still don't know how you can accept me after all this."  
  
"But I did," Ryou murmured, wiping the tears from his yami's eyes. "And I still do. That's the important part, ne? We're finally together. No more misunderstandings."  
  
Bakura smiled weakly at him. "Ashiteru, my koishii Ryou no tenshi." ("Ashiteru" means "I love you", and "koishii Ryou no tenshi" basically means "beloved angel Ryou")  
  
"And I love you, yami-chan."  
  
Their lips touched once again, a kiss sweeter than honey.  
  
Elsewhere, another couple enjoyed the same joy in each other's presence, golden hair flashing in the sunlight. They would forever remember their adventures by labeling it, "The Path of Soulmates."  
  
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Author's Notes: Okay, so that was a really corny ending to a really great fic, and it was incredibly short, but you know what?? I like it! ^.^ I hope all of my great reviewers are satisfied with this fic!! If not, you'll have to give me ideas for a sequel, cause I'm fresh outta them. Um...by the way...was this okay? *nervously glances around for any baskets of rotting food from RageAomori*  
  
Y.C.: *chuckles, shaking her head*  
  
Bakura: I like that ending.  
  
Ryou: *coyly* Well, of course you did. *gives look at his yami*  
  
Author: OOKAY, people, take it to another room!  
  
Bakura and Ryou: No problem.  
  
Author: *facevaults*  
  
Disclaimer: You should all know this by now. I own nothing in this story except the plot, Yuumei, Mikomi, Doragon, Mochidzuki, Faia, and Naomi, okie day? Have a great weekend, you guys! Oh, and check out my Kingdom Hearts fic: Reality Splits Apart! I will be focusing more and more on it, along with Eyes On Me. Stay tuned for more stories as the years progress. ^_~ Ja ne, my fans! 


	10. Author's Note!

No, this isn't a chapter. For those of you wondering why the hell some of the chapters have comments from me that are replies to reviews that are obviously not there, this story was already on FF.Net before, but was kicked off cause I didn't get rid of the lemon. *grimaces* The funniest part is that there're still lemons on the site, ones they haven't caught yet. Such a stupid rule...*sigh* Oh well. Anyway, this fic used to have about 100+ reviews, and I really miss my reviewers, so I AM OFFICIALLY CREATING A SEQUEL, which is inspired by the Christmas holidays, Kingdom Hearts, and some delightful Xelloss/Zelgadis yaoi fanfiction. ^_^ Not to mention some very nice Gravitation music... 


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